Dive In (With Your Eyes Closed)
by scatterthestars
Summary: How a trip to a beach-side house for ten days changes things in ways that both Chris and Darren didn't anticipate. Crisscolfer
1. Chapter 1

**I'm doing something new with this story. It's told from both point of views of Chris and Darren. It's going to constantly go back and forth between the two. I've been posting this on my tumblr, and decided to start posting it here as well. Title comes from the Sleeping At Last song Watermark.**

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**Day One**

Watching Chris as he goes into his third hour of sleeping, head resting against the window on the passenger side and lightly snoring, Darren smiles at the sight. He knows this is a good idea. It's not strange when he didn't invite any of the other cast members. But they haven't done as much as the two of them. Plus, too many people and it will end up being a non-stop party that he doesn't want.

Turning up the radio the slightest, he sings along to Kelly Clarkson singing about being stronger and continues to drive.

The first thing that hits him when he opens his eyes, not even remembering when he fell asleep, is the smell of sea-salt in the air. It's strong as he breathes in; he can taste it on his tongue as he licks his lips. The second thing he notices is the bright sun shining in the sky. The rays fall right on his eyes and make him squint, covering his eyes.

Sitting up, and letting out an unamused groan, rolling his neck to work out the kink, Chris looks out the passenger window to see white sand and blue water several yards away from him as Darren continues to drive. Grabbing his sunglasses, he slides them on.

"You know you snore?" Darren chuckles as he switches the station of the radio, looking for a song he likes.

"I don't snore," Chris grumpily gripes back, the smallest of smiles appearing on his lips.

When Darren told him about his crazy idea to get away and go somewhere for some time as a mini-vacation, Chris thought he was just thinking on less than four hours of sleep. That is how them driving to Disneyland at seven in the morning last year happened. But he reassured him he was being serious. He told him they needed some time away to do nothing; not worry about any obligations. After everything they did during the summer, he convinced him that a few days at a beach house getting drunk and sleeping in was the perfect anecdote to all that before going back to work in a few weeks.

Chris, finally, reluctantly gave in and agreed.

That's how he finds himself going on six hours being in a car with Darren as they go to some beach house Darren found out about. He's tired and sweaty, even with the cool stream of air the blows from the air conditioner, and he could go for a cold drink. Out of the car is what he wants most. Stretching his arms and legs sounds amazing right about now.

"How much longer until we get to the house?" he asks as he changes the station when a song he hates starts to play.

"About ten minutes. I think," Darren adds as if unsure.

"You think? Either you know or you don't," Chris teasingly accuses.

"I've never been there before. I'm going off the info Lea gave me."

"Even with that info, you still might get us lost," Chris jokes. "How'd she know about this place anyways?"

"She said she came here about two years ago with some friends." Darren turns onto a graveled road about fifteen minutes later.

Chris sits up a bit more when he sees a two story house that looks like it belongs more along the beach at the Hamptons than where they currently are. Which he forgot. Shrugging his shoulders, he figures they came here to forget and relax.

"Looks like we're here," Darren announces once he stops the car.

Climbing out of the car, stretching his arms above him, he watches as Chris does the same on the other side of the car. "Grab our stuff now or later?" he asks as he leans on the side of the car, feeling how scorching hot it is to the touch.

"Now," Chris replies, already heading for the trunk. "Because we'll be too lazy to get it later."

"True," Darren agrees.

Opening up the trunk when Darren unlocks it, Chris grabs his bag and slings the strap over his shoulder. Heading for the house, Darren walking in stride next to him after closing the trunk, he looks at the front door and realizes something.

"How we supposed to unlock it?" he asks as he stops and turns to Darren.

"Oh, right." Chris watches as realization dawns on Darren's face and a split second later see him run to the end of the gravel road. Watching as he opens the mailbox, he sees him pull out an envelope and run back. "Key," he says in way of explanation as he holds up the envelope when he comes back.

Unlocking the door and pushing it open, Darren drops his bag right there and nods his head at his approval of the house. Not ten feet from his is a wall that is nothing but glass that leads to the deck outside, and to the beach less than two feet from that.

Chris snorts as he watches Darren run up to the back of the house and open one of the sliding doors. But what he does next has him laughing out loud. Watching as he starts to take off his clothes and run for the water, he shakes his head in amusement and decides to go look for a bedroom he likes.

The water is a few degrees above cool as he runs in. Diving under and swimming out some, Darren breaks the surface of the water and looks back at the house. He can see his shoes and shirt and shorts in a trail in the sand. This is a good idea, he thinks as he goes under when a small wave comes. This is what they need.

Collapsing on the bed in a room he finds to his liking, bag abandoned at the foot of the bed, Chris sighs in contentment at laying on something soft and comfortable. He has to admit, Darren might be right in dragging them here.

Grabbing his bag by the door after getting out of the water, dripping everywhere, and leaving a trail of watery footprints, Darren walks to find a room. Not caring what it looks like, all he asks for is a bed.

Pushing open a door, he chuckles at finding Chris curled up on a bed clutching a pillow to him as he sleeps. Quietly closing the door, he heads down the hall to the door at the end. Pushing that one open, he finds, what he assumes is the main bedroom, and drops his bag on the small bench in front of the bed. Unzipping his bag, he grabs a change of clothes and heads to the bathroom, in desperate need to get sand out of places it shouldn't be.

Groaning when someone jumps on the bed and starts to bounce, Chris turns onto his back and reluctantly opens his eyes. Of course he would find Darren on his bed jumping with energy he shouldn't have, and smelling like vanilla.

"You smell like vanilla," he tells him as he runs his hands over his face.

"Only soap there was in the bathroom," Darren tells him in way of explanation.

"There a reason you are waking me up?" Chris looks up at him as he kneels next to him, hands on his hips.

"We need to go shopping," Darren replies.

"And you can't do that on your own," Chris grumpily says, wanting to roll over and go back to sleep.

"I could, but I want you to come with me." Darren bounces a little, make Chris shuffle the slightest.

"Fine," Chris groans, although he smiles up at Darren. "Give me a few minutes."

"Yay!" Darren excitedly exclaims, throwing his hands into the air.

Chris sees him over-compensate his reaction and tumble backwards to the floor; laughing at the sight.

"That's not funny," Darren retorts as he rubs his aching ass and looks up at Chris as he laughs down at him.

"That's what you get for waking me," Chris responds.

"Shut up," Darren playfully teases. Standing up, he looks to Chris. "Hurry up and get dressed, I'm ready to go. Just waiting on you, you straggler."

"I wouldn't be a straggler if you would leave." Chris arches an eyebrow and tilts his head to the door, obviously telling him something.

Getting it, Darren walks out of the room and to the front door, rubbing his ass once again.

"You know you're supposed to consume food the next ten days," Chris says as he pushes the shopping cart down the liquor aisle of the grocery store thirty minutes later.

"There's food in there." Darren puts a case of beer into the cart.

"Slim Jim's and Cheetos don't count as actual food." Chris puts his elbow on the handle of the cart and rests his chin on his hand, just watching Darren put more stuff in the cart.

"We'll buy some hotdogs and other stuff," Darren says.

"Do you plan to have a perpetual hangover for the next ten days, or what?" he asks as he eyes all the alcohol.

"It's a vacation," Darren tells him. "We're supposed to have fun."

"Yeah, and we're also supposed to properly function without making stupid mistakes because of alcohol." Chris arches an eyebrow and smirks, knowing he is right on some level. But he is up for getting drunk some days while they are here.

"What is that?" Darren asks after putting the bags away in the trunk and sitting in the driver's seat after Chris and he finish shopping. Chris sits next to him scrolling on his phone.

"You know," Chris says as he raises his head and looks to him. "Man created this thing called a phone. People use it to communicate. Sorry if it's more advanced the those smoke signals you're used to." Chris chuckles, looking back to the screen of his phone, scrolling through his messages.

"Funny. Ha ha," Darren just laughs and shakes his head. "I meant, why do you have that?"

"I need to check my emails and messages and other things."

Quickly reaching out while Chris is distracted, Darren takes the phone from his hands. He holds it out of Chris' reach as he tries to grab for it.

"Hey! Give it back, Dare," Chris demands.

"No." Darren shakes his head. "No phones these ten days. No nothing that connects us to people back home."

"I will tackle you and take that phone from your grip." Chris gives him a look that says he'll do it to.

Thinking on his feet, Darren grins as he shoves the phone down the front of his pants. "Come and get it, then," he smirks.

"What the hell, Dare!" Chris screeches. "If my phone is touching your balls I will hit you."

"It's under the pants. Over the underwear. So, don't worry, no ball touchage going on here," Darren informs him with a giggle. "But, if you want it so badly, you can reach in and take it." For some reason, the idea of Chris shoving his hand down the front of his pants creates a tingle under his skin that has never happened before when he's thought of Chris like that. The thought takes him by surprise; makes him wonder what it would feel like if Chris were to follow through with his crazy offer. It creates goosebumps all over his arms at how it could feel.

Sitting back against the passenger seat, Chris crosses his arms and considers Darren's tempting offer. Huffing out an annoyed breath, he just sits there and decides not to take Darren up on his offer. Although, the idea of shoving his hand down Darren's pants does sound very pleasing and wonderful. But he won't subject Darren to the uncomfortableness that will come if he were to happily do that. "I hate you," he gripes, furrowing his brows in slight anger.

"No, you don't," Darren tells him with a pleased smile. "You appreciate me. And you'll get it back when we leave."

Giving Darren the cold shoulder all the way back to the house, he climbs out of the car when they stop. Grabbing a few bags, he trudges up to the house and to the kitchen. Putting away the beers in the fridge, he walks out of the kitchen and out onto the deck.

Stepping down in to the hot sand, walking a few feet into the beach, Chris stands there and watches the water. Hearing the people down the beach as they enjoy themselves as they party, he jumps the slightest when an arm wraps around his waist and another holds two bottles in front of him.

Darren thinks about how this is normal for them. They have somehow managed to create this thing between them where they let the other easily into their personal space. It's normal for them to hold each other close as they stand around wherever they are. Their friends have pointed out how crazy it is that they quickly developed a bond that allows them to do this only with each other.

He's had other people try to get close, but he always finds himself pushing them away. But with Chris, it comes naturally; he finds himself pressing closer than away.

"It's just a phone," Darren whispers into his ear as he hooks his chin over his shoulder. "Peace offering?"

"I know," Chris sighs as he takes a bottle of beer. "But I'm so used to having it to check everything going on."

"We're here to relax, to be two adults with nothing on their minds." Chris feels Darren pull away, missing the warmth of his body when he steps back; smiling when he comes to stand in front of him. "Let's do that."

Seeing Chris think it over, Darren grins when he agrees. Clinking their bottles together, he takes a long drink of the cold beverage. "Where's my phone?" Chris asks him after pulling the bottle away from his mouth.

"Do you really expect me to tell you that?" Darren pushes around some sand with his foot, feeling it fall between his toes when his lifts his foot.

"No." Chris shakes his head. "I just don't want it to still be down your pants."

"It's not," Darren chuckles. "Come on," he says as the winds blows and he gets a strong smell of the sea-salt in the air. "Let's eat. I'm starving."

"Okay." Following Darren back into the house, Chris tries not to think about how it felt to have Darren's arms around him.

When they do that, hold each other, Chris always finds himself melting a bit more into the touch than he should. It's not right; he shouldn't want, especially with his best friend, more than what Darren is not offering. Having a crush...Chris snorts at thinking crush. This isn't a crush. It's deep feelings that go beyond that that he has for Darren.

It's been years that these feelings have been present in him. They've been there ever since he first met Darren. That's when it was a crush. But now...Now, he knows it's wrong to have inappropriate thoughts about your friend who doesn't seem to waver from the straight line he walks.

"What do you want to eat?" Darren turns to ask Chris, but seeing him lost in thought. "Chris?"

"Wh-...What?"

"Food? What do you want?" Darren asks again.

He watches him dart his tongue out and lick his lips, thinking he would like to do that. Whoa. Where did that come from? Yeah, he's thought Chris was cute...Fuck that. Chris is beyond fucking sexy. Anyone can see that. Even him. But somehow, with the drag of his tongue over his full, pink lips, Darren is starting to think about how those lips would feel on his.

There has been that little spark of attraction towards Chris for the past few years, but it was nothing more than that. It's never grown more from looking at Chris and finding himself attracted, finding himself minutely wanting. But, somehow, now that attraction is quickly turning to lust and want.

Lust. Want. Darren shakes his head of those crazy thoughts; squashing those feelings down. Nothing can happen; nothing should happen.

"Oh," Chris says as he releases a held breath. "Burgers are fine."

"Let's get cooking then," Darren tells him with a smile.

Moving around the spacious kitchen as they prepare everything for burgers, Chris slices tomatoes as Darren makes patties. Taking a drink of his beer, he watches Darren and begins to wonder if he can even cook.

"Can you cook?" he outright questions, seeing Darren wash his hands after finishing with the meat.

"What? Don't trust me?" Darren smirks as he grabs a paper towel and dries his hands.

"Around a grill? No. I'm just hoping we don't have to end up ordering pizza. I'm kind of looking forward to burgers." Following Darren out on to the huge wooden deck, Chris sits on the cushioned, wicker benches and watches as Darren sets the plate down and goes about getting the fire started in the grill.

"I won't burn them. Promise," Darren adds as he lights a match and drops it onto the coals he poured into the pit.

"You say that now," Chris teases as he takes a drink of his beer.

"What are expecting?"

"Flames of fire and burnt, black burgers."

"I'll prove you wrong," Darren says in a promising tone as he playfully snaps a pair of tongs at him.

Chuckling as he sits there, Chris watches as Darren sets the burgers on the grill and closes the lid.

Darren chuckles as he sets the tongs down. Grabbing the bottle of beer Chris brought out for him, he twists off the cap, tossing it onto the table. "My dad taught me a little about grilling," he says as he sits down next to Chris, propping his feet up on the table. "So, I know a few things."

"I can't grill for shit," Chris tells him. "But I can make a mean chocolate chip cookie."

"We all have our special skills." Darren rests his head back on the railing of the deck, closing his eyes to the afternoon sun in the sky, kind of wishing he had thought to bring his sunglasses.

Feeling something tapping against his hand, he lifts his head to see Chris holding his Aviator glasses, his own resting on the bridge of his nose.

"Thanks," he says as he slides them on.

Watching Darren rest his head back against the deck, Chris follows the curve of his neck, seeing a trickle of sweat that follows the muscle of his throat. It's tempting to lean over and lick that bead of sweat away with his tongue; follow the ridges and dips of his neck.

Turning away before he acts in the impulse, or Darren catches him staring, he trains his eyes on the grill and takes a drink of his beer. Listening to the crashing of the waves so close by, Chris closes his eyes and breathes, needing to relax and get all crazy thoughts of Darren out of his mind.

He can feel Chris' eyes on him. Without looking, he can tell Chris is staring at him. Where it should feel uncomfortable, Darren feels butterflies in his stomach at knowing Chris is watching him.

It's crazy how quickly things are changing for him. This morning he saw Chris as only the friend he found himself attracted to, and now here he is wanting to act on feelings he never knew he would have for him. He feels like he's navigating a maze that keeps presenting new twists and turns he didn't know were there. Where he should feel scared about not knowing where he is, he feels excited and thrilled at the anticipation at what could be around the next turn.

Lifting his head and taking a drink of his beer, he thanks the sunglasses at making it able for him to look at Chris. He stares at the long line of his neck that goes down and curves into his neck. His eyes trace the line of his nose and the fullness of his lips, biting his lip as he watches Chris' lips wrap around the top of the bottle as he takes a drink.

Yeah, this maze is excitement.

"I think you need to flip the burgers," Chris tells Darren as they sit there, the smell of meat grilling getting stronger in the air.

"I think you're right." Darren pushes himself up off the bench and heads to the grill.

Darting his eyes to Darren's ass real quick, Chris bites his lips and shakes his head, looking away. Choosing to watch the roll of waves in the ocean, Chris tries not to let his mind linger on thoughts of Darren beneath him writhing with pleasure as he fucks him.

"Is that what you want?" Darren sees Chris startle at his question, as if caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"What?" Chris asks mildly embarrassed, Darren smiling at the blush that creeps up his neck and spreads across his cheeks.

"Cheeseburgers?" Darren asks. "Is that what you want?"

Noticing the relieving breath Chris lets out and smile appear on his lips, Darren catches himself staring at his lips, once again. "Yeah," Chris tells him, nodding his head. "That's fine."

Sitting in the chair on the beach, feet dug into the sand, beers next to them in the sand, Chris takes a bite of his burger, letting out a small moan at how delicious it is.

"Alright," he says around the bite of food in his mouth. "I give it to you. You can grill."

"Thanks for the compliment," Darren laughs, picking up his bottle of beer and taking a drink.

Grabbing his own beer, grains of sand stuck to where it was sitting wedged into the sand, Chris takes a drink of the cold liquid. "It's almost like dinner and a show," he points out as he takes another bite of his burger and watches the ocean.

"I think it could be dinner and a show," Darren says. "How are you doing without your technology?"

"I've been better," Chris murmurs, angrily biting a potato chip. "But the upside is I don't have to deal with him."

Darren knows who Chris is talking about when he menacingly says him. It's been four months since their break-up, and he knows Chris is still upset over why he had to end it. Remembering what that asshole put Chris through, Darren wants to find him and punch him for everything he did. Chris deserves better than that. He deserves someone to respect and love and care for him. Someone not like the last guy. Thinking about the guy that will do that for Chris, Darren is surprised at the twinge of jealousy he feels.

He shouldn't feel jealous over some guy he doesn't know; doesn't want to think about. He wants to think about Chris like how he is now, which is very much single and very much available to whomever he wants.

"You should be thanking me for that, then," he cheekily replies, avoiding the chip Chris throws at him.

Chris playfully sneers at Darren. Taking a few pieces of the bread he has, he tosses them out in front him, watching as the birds overhead descend and fly down to grab the pieces.

"You shouldn't have done that," Darren tells him.

"Why?" Chris asks as he throws out more bread, and some chips.

"Because it'll get wild. Birds by the dozens."

Running back into the house after a few minutes, finding out Darren was right about the birds thing, Chris laughs as he stumbles inside and slides the door shut. Looking through the glass, he watches as dozens of birds attack the food that was left in their haste to leave.

"Note to self: don't feed the birds," Chris heavily breathes out as he catches his breath.

"I warned ya," Darren tells him.

"That you did." Chris looks at him and chuckles.

"Now you know to listen next time I warn you about something."

Nodding his head in a manner that says he gets it, he heads to the kitchen. Grabbing a bottle of water, knowing he's had enough beer for the day, he takes a long drink, loving as the cold water slides down his throat.

Darren stands there and watches as Chris' throat muscles move as he swallows the water. Knowing he's staring, and not being able to help it, he forces himself to walk to the fridge to grab a drink. Wrapping his fingers around the cold neck of a beer bottle, he shuts the fridge door with a thump and twists the cap off.

"You're gonna regret that in the morning," Chris tells him as he stands on the other side of the kitchen island.

"There's asprin," Darren informs him as he finishes off half the bottle in one drink.

Shaking his head, Chris snickers as he tells Darren he's going to take a shower.

Standing under the hot spray of water, tipping his head back and feeling as water hits his face and slides down his body, Chris feels as the day finally catches up with him. Drying off after stepping out, pulling on sweats and an oversized shirt, he heads out to the bedroom and collapses in bed.

Yawning and burrowing under the sheets, he finds himself drifting off to sleep immediately.

Walking to the bedroom he's sleeping in for the next ten days after finishing his beer, Darren stops at Chris' door and quietly pushes it open. Smiling at the sight of Chris stretched out on the bed, fast asleep, he stands there and watches the slow rise and fall of his chest. He watches as his lips part around something that sounds like a breathy moan or whimper; a noise that goes straight to his cock.

It's not the first time he's heard Chris make a noise like that; he's heard it from his mouth dozens of times. But it's the first time that he finds it has that kind of effect on him. It has him lusting, and wanting to crawl into that bed and be the reason Chris makes those noises.

He's never really given much thought to how it would be like to be with another man physically. It's something that never needed to cross his mind when he had his girlfriends to occupy his thoughts; and what he could do with them. But standing here now, watching his best friend, seeing how fucking desirable he looks and sounds, Darren is having thoughts of them two doing things that seem like they could be amazing. He's having thoughts of bodies pressed close and moving together. He's having thoughts he wants to act upon.

Chris, it seems, is making him crazy in the best way possible; and in so little fucking time.

Hearing him release another moan, Darren wishes he knew what he was dreaming about. Leaving the room, in need of a cold shower, he heads to the bathroom in his bedroom.

Startling awake at the sound of a door closing, Chris sits up and breathes heavy. Seeing it's almost midnight, he thinks about the dream he was just having. Of course it would be like him to have a sex dream about Darren while alone with him for the next few days.

Falling back into bed, covering his face with his hands, he groans and thinks about anything other than the thoughts he had to help with the problem in his pants. Finally composed several minutes later, he turns onto his side and brings his knees up to his chest, knowing he needs to let thoughts of Darren and he doing those things go.


	2. Chapter 2

**Day Two**

Waking up when the morning sun assaults his eyes, Darren groans and rolls on to his stomach, covering his head with a pillow. His head feels as if it's being split in two, and he just wants to go back to sleep. Deciding to do just that, he huffs in annoyance when the sound of a blender turning on from the kitchen makes his head worse.

Standing up from the bed, blanket falling away, cool air hitting his naked skin, remembering being too tired to put on clothes and going to sleep naked. Grabbing a pair of boxers and pulling them on, he walks out to where all the commotion is coming from.

Pouring the smoothie he made into a glass, Chris takes a drink and almost chokes when he sees Darren walk into the kitchen in nothing but boxers. Gulping loudly, staring at his fit body, he looks at his abs and thinks about what it would be like to trace them with his tongue. He looks at his strong thighs and thinks about them wrapped around his waist. Pushing those thoughts away if he doesn't want to pop a boner, he clears his throat to get Darren's attention.

"You okay?" he sympathetically asks.

"No," Darren responds as he rubs his hands over his face. "My head hurts."

"Sorry," Chris apologizes in sympathy. "I put out some aspirin and I made smoothies. Want some?"

"Put some vodka in mine and I'll gladly take it."

Grabbing the two pills Chris left out for him, appreciating the small gesture, he pops them in his mouth and chews them to get them working faster. Mouth bitter with the taste of the pills, Darren takes the proffered cup of smoothie Chris hands him.

"Sans vodka," Chris informs him with an easy laugh. "Sorry."

"I don't care." Taking a drink of the fruit smoothie, tasting strawberries and bananas, Darren gulps down most of it in one drink. "This is really good," he says as he sets the glass on the counter.

Looking at Chris after he barely mumbles a thanks, he sees the blush on his cheeks as his eyes keep darting to him and then quickly away. Wondering why he's gone shy all of a sudden, Darren puts his hands on his hips and realizes he's only in his underwear. Smiling at now knowing Chris is blushing because of him, he tells him he's going to put some clothes on.

Letting out a deep breath after Darren leaves, Chris goes about pulling stuff from the fridge for a snack.

He knows it's stupid to have a thing for your friend knowing nothing will ever come of it. It's stupid to want someone he can't have, and even if he could, it would have the potential of ruining their friendship. So, he figures its best things won't change. He can't lose his best friend.

Bag of grapes in his hand, he walks out onto the deck and sits down on the steps leading down to the beach. Popping a few grapes into his mouth, he holds out the bag when Darren sits down next to him, feeling him grab a handful.

"How's the headache?" he asks as he eats another grape.

"Barely there now," Darren replies.

Chris just chuckles.

"We should go into town," he suggests. He wants to see what this small town offered besides a great beach. "Look at all the little shops and all that crap."

"All that crap?" Darren laughs.

"You know what I mean." Chris playfully nudges Darren's shoulder. "Towns like these always have interesting little things tucked and hidden away. You never know what we could find."

"I'm presuming we'd find a lot of fish and ocean related stuff. You know, nets and anchors and shells. It's pretty fucking typical with a place like this."

"Still wouldn't hurt to go," Chris says, holding out the bag of grapes so Darren can grab some more.

"Okay," Darren agrees. "Once this headache is all the way gone, we'll go."

"Thanks." Chris smiles at him.

Sitting behind the wheel of the car an hour and a half later as they head to town, listening to the song that plays on the radio, Darren looks over to see Chris staring out the window. Watching as he pulls his bottom lip between his teeth and chews on it while thinking of something, the desire to lean over and kiss him is almost hard to ignore. It feels like fighting off a bear with only a stick.

Looking back to the road before he runs them off the road, trying to focus on the miles of asphalt in front of him and not Chris' tempting mouth a few inches away, he shakes his head and can't believe how quickly these feelings have come on and grown in the space of two days.

"What's on your mind?" he asks so he can think about something else other than kissing Chris.

"Thinking about what I would be doing if I were still with him," Chris tells him.

Darren sees him in the reflection of the window and frown in anger. "Hey," he says in a cheery voice to get Chris out of his mood. "Forget that asshole. You're here with me, and let's take advantage of the fact that we have nothing to worry about for eight more days."

It's in moments like these, even before he saw Chris how he is seeing him now, that Darren wishes he could find Chris' ex and punch him and ask him what the fuck he was thinking. Here he has this amazing person right in front of him and he goes and looks for someone else. It's mind-boggling and completely confusing as to why that jerk would do that. Fuck, if Chris was his, he would never do that.

That thought catches him off-guard. To think of Chris as his has a flutter in his stomach that makes him pull in a surprised breath and smile at the idea. To have Chris as his is something he didn't know he would want, but now that he's had the idea it sounds very appealing, and something he finds himself desperately wanting.

"Yeah," Chris agrees, looking to him and smiling. "You're right."

He doesn't know why he does it; just that it feels right, and he needs to. Reaching over, he takes Chris' hand in his and rests their hands on the center console. Linking their fingers together, and stroking his thumb over the back of Chris' hand, he thinks about how this is different from the other times they've held hands.

This seems more intimate than it ever did before.

It's all he can focus on. The feel of Darren's strong hand in his as they drive into town. The way he strokes his thumb over the back of his hand. The slight roughness to his fingertips from years of playing guitar. He's felt it all before when they held hands. But now this time is different. This time it feels like they are doing more than holding hands as friends. It feels like they are holding hands like lovers.

He finds it strange that something as innocent and simple as holding hands could make his heart flutter and make everything even more complicated than it should be. He has to remind himself that to Darren it's just simply friends holding hands; it's not the same thing to Darren as it is to him.

Yeah, Darren thinks as he squeezes Chris' hand and smiles at him, this is different. But good.

After visiting a few small shops that sold the basic stuff you would find at a shop situated near a beach, Chris hears his stomach growl in protest of food. "I'm starving," he announces as they walk along the sidewalk, passing stores.

"Ditto," Darren agrees. "Want to go back to the house and eat?"

"No." Chris shakes his head. "Too far. Let's find something here."

Ten minutes later, Darren follows him as he walks into a sea-food place called Morty's. The smell of food that hits him when he walks in has his mouth instantly watering, and ready to stuff his face.

"Are you sure?" Darren asks him as they sit down at the empty table the hostess takes them to. "We can eat at the house and not worry about being noticed."

"I know," Chris tells him, glad Darren is letting it be known that they can leave if he wants to. "But I gotta eat at a place whose slogan is "We have crabs so good you won't mind getting them from us." Now don't tell me that isn't a way to draw someone in," Chris laughs.

"I guess you're right," Darren chuckles. "We can tell our friends we got crabs that we didn't mind."

"I'd like to see their faces as we tell them that."

Smiling at the waitress that walks over, he orders a sweet tea, Darren getting the same.

"You think they're worried about us?" he asks, knowing Darren will understand who he's talking about without further explanation.

"I think they are probably surprised we've abstained from any sort of technology for two days," Darren replies.

Where he thought it would be difficult not to have his phone to constantly go to and check up on everything, Chris finds he is perfectly okay with not having it on him 24/7. It's actually quiet peaceful and nice to not have to hear some sort of noise come from it every few minutes alerting him to some kind of work related thing. So, yeah, it's a good thing Darren took his phone.

"That's true," he agrees with a slight nod of his head.

Tearing open the paper of his straw when the waitress brings their drinks, he puts it in the glass and takes a drink of the sweet beverage.

"Alright, gentlemen," the waitress says as she holds a pen to her pad, smile on her face. "What can I get you?"

"Do you have any kind of special?" Chris asks.

"We have the "Get crabs!" special." Chris tries his best not to laugh, but failing terribly. The laugh that passes his lips has him covering his mouth and snorting. Across from him, he can see Darren having the same problem. "Yeah, I know," the waitress giggles. "It's terrible. We've tried to get the owner to change it, but he won't. He likes making the customers laugh."

"Well," Darren says around a laugh. "He's accomplished that."

"Well take two," Chris orders, biting his lip as he starts to come down from his giggle fit.

"It's better if you order one," the young girl says. "It's an all you can eat. So, it's cheaper, and you can share."

"Alright. Thanks." Watching the waitress walk away with their order, Chris looks to Darren and still sees the amusement in his eyes. "I like this place," he says.

He's not sure if it's the sun spilling into the restaurant, or how packed the place is that is adding to how hot he is. Sitting across from Chris as they eat, broken crab shells scattered over laid out newspaper on the table, and constantly seeing him lick his lips and thumb has him hot. It has him wanting to run out to the beach twenty yards away and dive into the water to cool off.

Looking at Chris as he sits there, Aviator glasses resting on the bridge if his nose, sun rays falling around him and making him look gorgeous as he laughs, Darren feels the want grow in him.

He can't believe he's looking at his best friend in this new way. Where he just saw him before, saw him as attractive, is totally different to how he sees him now. He looks at him and sees someone with lips he wants to constantly kiss; he sees the curve of a neck that he wants to bury his face in and breathe in the smell that lingers on Chris' skin; he sees hair he wants to bury his fingers in and tug and pull as they do things that his body craving to do, things he's never done before, but seem like they would drive him crazy either way. He sees Chris as someone he could most definitely be with.

**Day Three**

After a day of doing absolutely nothing, with a nap on top of it, Chris whips his head around when Darren runs back into the house. He can see excitement on his face and in his eyes, and only wonders what he could be up to.

"What?" he asks, already expecting something crazy in reply.

"How do you feel about going to a party?"

"You mean the one happening down the beach?" Chris pushes the throw off his lap, setting the book he was reading face down on the table and stands up.

Going outside an hour earlier, he saw the barrage of people and bonfire and heard the loud music. At the time, he had no idea where Darren was. But seeing him now, he easily figures it out.

"Yeah." Darren nods his head. "It's awesome. I'm meeting some great people."

"How the hell are there not a gaggle of girls following you right now?" Chris looks behind Darren, surprised to find them alone. "Most of the time, they usually follow you like a Lost Boy when you're around."

"I told them I just look like that guy from Glee," Darren explains. Then he points to his Aviators sitting on the bridge of his nose. "These also help. So, you up for a party?"

He watches as Chris thinks it over for a few seconds, chewing his lower lip in thought. That action has Darren wanting to pull him close and kiss that lip until Chris is gasping into his mouth. Letting that thought go, he waits for Chris' reply.

"Okay," Chris finally agrees, nodding his head. "Let's go."

"Good. Let's go."

Walking back outside, Chris following behind him, Darren steps into the sand. The sound of waves crashing is the only thing that is heard as they walk side by side to the house party.

The sun is setting and throwing a litany of colors on the water. Getting closer to the house, Darren looks to Chris to find worry in his eyes as he gives him a nervous smile. "Hey," he says as he stops and grabs Chris' shoulders, turning to face him. "We don't have to go."

"No." Chris shakes his head. "I just don't want people all over me like flies on food."

"Nice visual representation," Darren chuckles. "But do as I did. You can easily convince them. Plus, they're already partially wasted; it shouldn't be that hard for them to believe you."

"Okay."

Staying close to Darren when they step into the house, dozens of people dancing and drinking and talking, Chris feels safest with Darren. Rolling his eyes when some random dude high-gives Darren, he follows him to the kitchen.

Finding four huge metal tubs filled with ice and crammed with beers, Chris takes one of the two Darren grabs. "Thanks," he says as he takes the cap off and tosses it into a fishbowl filling up with caps.

"No problem." Darren smiles and nudges his shoulder.

The small touch of their arms sends a jolt through Chris. It has a heat rising in him that has him wanting to dump the ice in one of the tubs over himself to cool down. Taking a drink instead, he notices a few very tipsy girls walking to him. He sees them slightly stumbling over the heels they are wearing as they eye Darren and he. And one of the girls gives Darren a look that has a wave of jealousy rising in him; has him wishing he could do something to show the girl that Darren's is his. But he can't, because they're only friends.

"Hey, are you that guy?" one of the girls, the one with long black hair that falls past her shoulders, asks him. She slurs her words the slightest; making it pretty obvious she's been here some time. "You know the one...the one from that show about singing. Are you him?"

"What would you do if I said yes?" Darren jumps in and says. Chris glares at him as he chuckles.

"Are you him...him then?" The girls giggle loudly, drawing the attention of people around them.

"No," Chris easily lies as he shakes his head. "But I get that a lot. This guy, however," he says as he drops his hand to Darren's shoulder, feeling a spark at the simple touch. "Sings just like that guy he looks like from that exact same show."

Darren playfully glares at Chris when he throws him under the bus. He knows now the girls will beg him to sing, and there is no way out of it. "I hate you," he leans over and whispers into Chris' ear, but teasing.

Seeing Chris playfully stick his tongue out at him, Darren, once again, has the urge to pull him close and kiss him. But he fights and holds back from doing that.

"Come on, Dare," Chris whispers so no one else can hear them. "Play them a song."

Hands press to his chest and have his heart racing at the small touch. It sends desire through him, and has him wishing Chris would roam his hands all over his body. Feeling him gently push him towards the girls, he sees Chris laugh as he's dragged to the living room.

Sitting across from Darren as he starts in on the fifth song, guitar in his hands, pretty much everybody circled around him and crowded into the living room to listen, Chris smiles as he locks eyes with Darren as he starts to sing a popular song.

"Are you two together?" He hears some guy ask as he sits next to him on the arm of the couch.

Pulling his eyes from Darren, he looks up at the guy. He's cute; sandy, brown hair and green eyes off-set his dazzling smile he's currently giving him. Chris finds himself intrigued by the guy. Remembering he asked something, he opens his mouth to speak. "No, we're just friends."

"Could have fooled me," the guy says. "You two look at each other as if no one else is in the room."

Blushing at the guy's words, Chris looks back to Darren to see a slight frown on his face as he continues to sing.

Jealousy is a new emotion for Darren. Never before has he cared if someone talked or flirted with the person he was with, but now...Now, watching Chris with a guy that looked like he stepped out of an Abercrombie&Fitch catalogue, he feels jealous. He doesn't want the guy talking to Chris. He doesn't want Chris giving him the smile he's giving him now. They shouldn't be enjoying themselves and looking happy only after meeting less than two minutes before. It should be him flirting, what the guy is obviously doing; it should be him making Chris laugh. It should be him.

It's then that Darren realizes he wants to do something about how he's feeling.

Grabbing another beer, feeling an arm wrap around his waist and hold onto him, knowing its Darren by the touch alone, he sees him reach across him and grab a beer.

"Nice set," he compliments him as he turns and leans back against the counter, seeing Darren do the same.

"I try on such short notice," Darren says as he pretends to preen with the appraisal.

"I'd like to see first-hand what it looks like with notice." Chris takes a drink of his cold beer.

As they stand there, not saying anything else, Chris can feel the tension coming off Darren strong. He knows there's something on his mind.

"Who was the guy?" Darren finally asks, getting up the nerve and hearing how dejected he sounds. He knows he's being stupid for being jealous. Hell, Chris can talk to whomever he likes. He has no say.

"Preston," Chris answers him.

Darren immediately hates the name. Grumpily taking a drink of beer, he forces a smile before continuing to talk. "What'd he want?"

"Nothing," Chris answers, knowing he can't tell Darren Preston thought they were together. That would make things weird when it doesn't need to be. "Just stuff."

"He looked like he liked you." Chris hears the slightest hitch to Darren's voice as he talks, as if he's jealous. But he tells himself he was just imagining it.

"I think his girlfriend would say otherwise," Chris says, knowing he's not imagining when he sees Darren relax and a wide grin spread across his face, as if relieved.

"Oh," is all Darren says, trying to hide his smile, and failing.

He doesn't hate Preston as much as he did five minutes ago.

Placing has half-empty bottle on the counter, he looks to Chris. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah." Chris nods his head.

Walking back to the house after leaving the party, buzzed and feeling good, Chris jumps when Darren suddenly takes his hand and pulls him close to his side.

Wrapping his arms around Darren's waist as he wraps an arm around his, Chris rests his cheek to Darren's chest as they continue to walk. He breathes in the smell of detergent on his shirt, the vanilla from the soap he uses, and, somehow, the smell of salt and sun on his skin. It's a smell that invades his senses and has his mouth water to run his tongue over the line of Darren's shoulder and taste it on Darren's skin.

Holding Chris until they reach the deck of the house, wishing he could pull him close again after they step into the house, Darren watches as he walks to his room after saying goodnight.

Collapsing on the couch, and groaning into a throw pillow, he wants with everything he has to get up and walk to Chris' room.

But instead, he falls asleep right there, knowing he wouldn't make it to his room if he went that way.

Chris groans into his pillow and reaches down to palm himself over his pajama pants. Damn Darren and his fucking fantastic smell. Even after a shower that calmed him down, he can still smell it. He somehow still breathes it in and fills his lungs up with that mouth-watering smell.

Desperately wanting to take himself in hand and release the pressure building in him, he doesn't. Because he knows he'll just end up jerking off to images of Darren. And doing that and trying to look him in the eye the next morning wouldn't happen.

So, rolling onto his stomach after his problem goes away, he forces himself to go to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**Day Four**

The smell of bacon frying is what wakes him up. Turning onto his back and sitting up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed, Darren stretches his arms above his head and yawns. Stepping off the bed and walking to the bathroom, brushing his teeth and taking a quick shower, he heads to the kitchen with damp hair in fresh clothes.

Stopping right before the kitchen, standing where Chris can't see him, he watches as he dances and sings as he cooks. The sight of him in boxers and a thin cotton shirt, using the spatula in his hand as a microphone, he can't help but think how cute he looks as he dances when he thinks no one is looking.

Laughing when he belts out a line from a song, shaking his ass as he dances, Darren bites his lip to stifle his laughter. Watching him, seeing him being so care-free and relaxed, he can't buy to admire how sexy that makes Chris look. He could stand there for hours and watch him as he joyously acts like a side of himself rarely seen.

Watching him, the urge to go up to him and stop him, wrap his arms around his slim waist and skirt his hands up his shirt, skimming over soft flesh, hits him hard. Never before has he wanted someone like he's wanted Chris. And it doesn't scare him. It has him thinking too much about why these feelings are suddenly coming to surface.

Where it should be easy, like it used to be with girls, to ignore and push them away, now he finds they just continue to grow. They continue to build and build. And he has no idea what it is about Chris that ignites these kinds of feelings.

Shaking his head, knowing it's too early for thoughts like that, he walks into the kitchen and talks.

"Morning," Darren's voice calls out behind him.

Startling in the middle of dancing, Chris embarrassedly turns to find Darren standing in the kitchen with a sly smile on his face. "How long have you been standing there?" he asks as he covers his face with the spatula.

"Long enough for me to learn that you know all the words to Mo' Money, Mo' Problems," Darren tells him, chuckling.

"That's a great song!" Chris playfully defends.

"It is a great song," Darren agrees, nodding his head. "I'm just surprised you know all the rap parts."

"I have my talents." Turning to the bacon frying and pancakes cooking, Chris flips them and turns off the stove, food finished. "Breakfast is ready," he announces as he plates the last pancakes and the bacon.

Sitting at the island when he sets the plates down, he stabs a few pancakes and drops them on his plate. Grabbing a few strips of bacon, he eats half of one.

"Do you always dance and sing when you cook?" Darren teases as he cuts off a piece of pancake, stabbing it with the fork.

"Only when I think no is watching," Chris responds. Pouring himself a glass of orange juice, he takes a drink. "Did you enjoy the show?"

"The little I caught," Darren replies with a chuckle. "What other rap songs do you know?"

"A few." Chris arches an eyebrow and smirks.

"Seems we are learning new things about each other while here," Darren retorts, taking a bite of bacon.

"That we are."

After finishing breakfast, he stands next to Chris as they clean the few dishes they used. The occasional brush of Chris' body against his sends a tingle up and along his spine.

"Want to go swimming?" he asks as he dries the plate Chris hands him. "I've only gone when we got here, and you haven't even gotten close to the water."

"We have to wait an hour," Chris points out. "But, sure."

"It's a date." Darren doesn't know why he says it, meaning for it to sound friendly. But he likes how it sounds more friendly than it should.

"A date," Chris repeats.

Darren smiles and nudges his shoulder, seeing him blush.

Standing in front of the mirror, looking himself over in just his swim trunks, towel slung over his shoulder, Chris can't believe he's worried about how he looks. He feels like a teen getting ready for their first date. It's only Darren. It shouldn't make butterflies form in his stomach at knowing he'll be seeing him like this. It's a stupid swim. Shaking his head, knowing he's being stupid, he grabs the sun-block and walks out of the room.

In his room, Darren makes sure he looks good. He wants to make sure he doesn't go out there with something misplaced or something on him he didn't know about. Turning around and looking over his shoulder at the reflection of his backside in the mirror, he looks himself up and down and figures he looks good.

No big deal. Just a swim with his best friend he is looking at in a totally new light.

Standing on the deck, towel now slung over the back of a chair, Chris works the sun-lotion into his arms. Hearing the sliding door open behind him, he looks over his shoulder to smile at Darren. But seeing him in only his swim trunks, Chris' breath catches at the expanse if tan skin and muscles, and the lines of his V that lead down to something he shouldn't be thinking about.

Quickly looking to the water, his mind races with the image of Darren as he just saw him. Getting himself under control, he breathes and reaches as far behind him to work the lotion onto his back.

"Let me," Darren chuckles as he takes the lotion from his hands.

Hands slightly shaking as he squeezes some lotion onto his palm, Darren spreads it over his hands and rests them on Chris' back.

When he stepped outside and saw Chris there moving his hand over his arm, long, lean torso on display in a way he'd never seen before, all the air left him and his shorts became a little tighter. The sight was fucking sexy; it had him desperate to touch and taste and explore every inch of Chris' body. He just stared at the beauty that was the man in front of him.

Working the lotion into Chris' back, hands moving over soft skin and muscle, Darren wants to touch for as long as he can. He wants to keep his hands to Chris' back for longer than it takes to put the lotion on. He wants to lean down and kiss his way up Chris' spine, placing his lips to every knob of his spine and make him tremble with the touches.

Moving to Chris' lower back, he massages and works the lotion in over the skin there. Barely dipping his fingers past the waistband of his shorts, Darren bites his lip to hold in the moan he wants to release at touching skin he wishes he could see more of.

The brush of fingers past the waistband of his swim trunks has Chris holding in a gasp he wants to release. The fingers skim and brush at an area that has his blood suddenly boiling with pleasure. He figures it's just Darren thoroughly making sure every inch of his skin is protected.

Upset when Darren removes his hands, Chris turns to him and smiles. "Thanks," he tells him.

"My pleasure," Darren replies in a way that has Chris unable to tell if he is joking or being serious. "Let's go swim."

"Okay."

Walking down the steps and into the hot sand, Chris hops for a few seconds at how hot it just is. "Oh, my god," he complains. "It's fucking hot."

"Water is right there." Darren points as he stands there in the hot sand like it's nothing. "All you have to do is keep walking."

"Fuck walking," Chris retorts. With a smirk to Darren, he runs for the water.

Letting out an excited scream when a wave hits him, he dives under and swims out a few yards. Sputtering water as he surfaces, he spots Darren slowly making his way to him.

"Nice of you to join me," he jokes as he treads water.

"Shut up." Darren smiles to show he is only teasing. "Besides," he says. "If a shark were out here, I wouldn't have been the one in trouble."

"No," Chris readily agrees. "You'd be the one saving me from trouble."

"Who says I'd save you?" Darren jokes.

"You'd let me become shark bait? Rude."

"You never know," Darren shrugs his shoulders as he talks. "There might be a Bruce out there."

"Bruce?" Chris asks confused.

"Shark from Finding Nemo that swore off fish," Darren fills him in.

"Oh," Chris says as it clicks for him. Diving under the water when it gets a bit too hot, he resurfaces and pushes his hair back, treading water still. "But he only swore off fish. I'm a human. He'd find a loop hole and eat me."

"Well then, I couldn't help you." Darren smirks.

"Nice to know I have true friends."

Swimming out a bit more, Chris stops and turns around, finding Darren gone.

Diving under the water, Darren swims to Chris. Deciding to have some fun, he grabs his ankles and pulls him under. Seeing him panic for a second under the water and then see him, Darren avoids the kick he tries to land, laughing at him. Grabbing his wrist when Chris playfully punches him in the arm, Darren pulls him close and pushes to the surface, holding him tight.

Gasping for breath once they break the surface of the water, Chris sputters out the water in his mouth.

Feeling Darren holding him close, clutching him tightly, Chris realizes just how close they are. Their legs tangle under the water; their chest are close enough for the other to feel as it expands when they breathe. He can see specks of green and yellow in Darren's eyes as he stares into his eyes. He can feel the racing of Darren's heart beneath his hand where Darren holds it to his chest.

"Dare..." he whispers, not knowing what to say or do.

He notices Darren's eyes dart to his lips a few times, and doing the same. Watching as Darren licks the drops of water from his lips, Chris thinks about how much he would have loved to have done that.

Not moving as he watches Darren lean forward and nuzzle his nose along his cheek, his hand roaming down and splaying over his back. He nuzzles his own nose in the crook of Darren's neck, breathing in the same scent from the night before.

Staring at Chris' lips when he pulls back, Darren wants to nip at his bottom lip, pull it between his teeth and suck. Leaning forward once again, he stops a few inches from Chris' parted lips in a gasp.

He can feel it. It's strong. Stronger than anything he's ever felt between another person. This connection he has with Chris that is drawing him in and driving him wild. It's what has him right here wanting to so desperately press his lips to Chris' and kiss him until the sun sets and rises again.

Feeling Chris' warm breath on his lips as he breathes out, he, somehow, manages to pull him closer. Staring into Chris' luminous eyes filled with a mixture of fear and doubt and want and desire, Darren knows his eyes reflect his own.

Treading water as the sun shines down on them, warming their skin, Chris longs to close that last little space between their mouths.

Gasping when Darren's lips brush his in an almost kiss, tongue darting out to barely lick his bottom lip, Chris realizes what they are doing. He knows this is stupid. This is something when caught up in the moment, which they are. This is Darren acting on something he isn't. Knowing he'll regret it later.

Pushing away from the kiss that almost is, Chris looks at Darren and swims away.

Reaching the shore about two minutes later, he quickly walks to the house. Grabbing his towel and wrapping it around himself, he goes inside and thinks about what just happened.

Darren almost kissed him. Darren. The same Darren he's wanted for years but kept those hopes at bay because he knew he wasn't like that. Or so he thought.

"Chris?" Darren calls behind him.

"I'm gonna go take a shower," he says as he turns and smiles at Darren, forcing his mouth to even do that.

Watching Chris pad away, holding the towel tight around him, Darren knows he fucked up big time. Here he was wanting Chris and not even thinking that maybe Chris didn't want him back. He had thought, but more liked hoped, that Chris liked him like that. But he's beginning to think he read everything wrong.

Walking to the bathroom in his bedroom, he strips out his swim trunks and steps into the shower. Needing to rid his mind of Chris, he turns the water on as hot as it can go and let's the scorching water that hits his skin distract him.

Sitting on the tile of the shower, hugging his knees to his chest, water, once hot but now cold, falling around him, Chris wonders what would have happened if they had kissed. Would they still be out in the water kissing? Would they be stumbling to the nearest soft surface and fumbling with the little clothes they have? Would Darren tell him it was mistake? Which he figured would have been the most likely response. His mind is filled with questions he can't find the answer to. Feeling like he's trying to solve a crossword with no clues.

Making a sandwich after his shower, first bottle of beer almost finished, Darren watches as Chris tentatively steps into the kitchen.

"Listen," he starts off. "I'm sorry about what happened in the water."

"It's fine." Chris waves his hand for emphasis; as if to show it was nothing.

Of course he is sorry, Chris thinks. It was mistake for him. Of course.

"That lunch?" he asks as he watches Darren start to make another sandwich.

"Yeah," Darren replies as he nods his head. "Want a beer?"

"Sure." Taking the beer Darren grabs and holds out for him; Chris finishes more than half of it in one drink. Today is a day to get drunk and forget mistakes that almost were.

Sitting in the sand under an umbrella after they eat, Chris drinks his third beer, already feeling a buzz starting. A few feet in front of him, he watches Darren attempt to build a sandcastle. Of course, calling it a sandcastle might be a little on the nice side of whatever sits in front of Darren. All he sees is a giant pile of sand in a mound that looks like a small hill. "All you need is the leaf," he says below a shout.

"What?!" Darren looks at Chris confused, thinking he's verging on drunk.

"A leaf," Chris repeats, letting out a small laugh. "You look like Stitch when he tried to build the sandcastle and he set the leaf on top, attempting to make it look awesome. But it looked like shit."

"Are you calling my sandcastle shit?" Darren laughs as he watches Chris reach for his fourth beer. He can understand him getting drunk. After all, his best friend tried to kiss him when he most likely didn't want it.

"If the boot fits," Chris shouts back as he barely touches the bottle of beer sticking out of the ice in the cooler sitting a few feet from him.

"Say that again, Cowboy." Darren sees Chris chuckle as he gets the reference. Falling back in the sand and clutching his stomach as he laughs out loud, he watches as Chris lies in the sand where he just fell.

"Fuck you!" Chris gripes at him, pushing himself up and pulling the cooler closer to him before sitting down.

Darren thinks about how he would very much like that.

Twisting the cap off the bottle, tossing it in the direction of Darren, seeing it land on his stomach, Chris drinks his new beer. Grabbing a beer as Darren sits down next to him, he holds it out for him, feeling him take it.

"We should build a bonfire," Chris suggests as he watches the oceans as the sun slowly starts to set, throwing various colors on the calm water.

"I don't think you should be around any kinds of flames right now," Darren tells him.

"You should build a bonfire, then," Chris suggests instead. "I'll get the alcohol and marshmallows."

"Sounds good to me."

"Okay." Standing up, Chris heads to the house to grab a few bottles of liquor.

Grabbing logs to start a fire, Darren walks out to where they were sitting and drops the wood. Digging a shallow hole, he sets the logs up and looks around for some paper. Wadding up some old newspaper he finds, he sets it on fire and places it next to the logs, quickly seeing a fire start.

Sitting back on the sand, knees up and arms on his knees, he chuckles at seeing a tipsy Chris walking back with three bottles of liquor and a bag of marshmallows in his hands.

"I grabbed the vodka, tequila, and," Chris eyes a bottle he holds. "Whatever this is."

"I think that's whiskey," Darren tells him as he takes the bottle of tequila. Taking a swig, the liquid warm as it slides down his throat, he already knows they are going to get wasted enough to forget all inhabitations.

He doesn't remember how they got here. But he couldn't care at the moment as he hungrily kisses Darren as he grips his thighs and fucks him. The noises he's making; moans and whimpers that mix together has him fucking him harder and wanting to continue make him produce those noises.

It's not stupid that they're doing this. The first time a few hours ago as Chris fucked him was amazing and spectacular. The best lay he's ever had. That's why they're here now as he slowly fucks Chris in a way that has him whining low in his throat. Feeling him arch his back and push his hips back on him, Darren kisses along the column of his exposed neck as he tips his head back to him, slowly rolling his hips forward, hearing Chris release a breathy whimper.

This is right, he thinks with a fuzzy brain. This is right.

**Day Five**

Groaning as he opens his eyes, feeling like death warmed over, Chris' head pounds and his mouth is dry. Sitting up, sun hurting as it falls around him; he hangs his head and realizes he's naked. Hearing someone shift behind him, he looks over to find Darren just as naked still asleep.

Quietly jumping out of bed, grabbing the pillow that falls to the floor and using it to cover his body as he presses to the wall by the bed, he stares at Darren and has the activities from the night before flood his mind. He remembers sitting in front of the fire drunk and laughing at something Darren said. Then as he stared at him, the mood quickly shifted and they were instantly kissing like crazy.

After that there was tearing and fumbling with clothes once back in the house and trying to walk to any bedroom. They fell into bed and bypassed any kind of foreplay and quickly went into him fucking Darren.

God, he thinks, he and his best friend stepped...no, practically sprinted over a line that they shouldn't have...Twice. Because after falling asleep, they woke up a few hours later and it was Chris' turn to be fucked.

Remembering how it felt to have Darren inside him has arousal pooling in his stomach, and wanting to feel that again. He wants to wake Darren up and ask him to do that again. But he can't.

They were both drunk, and that was no excuse for what they did. Darren will vastly regret this and chalk it up to him not being himself and that it was a mistake. A mistake that was amazing...twice, Chris' brain tells him. _Shut up! Shut up!_ Shut up, he tells himself, needing to think and figure out what he's going to do.

Seeing Darren stir some in his sleep, he figures it's probably best if he just takes a shower for now; wash away everything.

Standing under the hot spray of water a few minutes later, Chris thinks about how stupid they were being. _Sleeping together!_ Fucking his best friend who has never even hinted at being more than what he's presented to everybody. He feels like shit. He should have stopped it.

Memories of the night before flood his mind, again, and he can't help but to remember how amazing Darren felt around him. How he looked and sounded and acted as he fucked him. Yeah, he thinks, no possible way a drunk him would have stopped from that.

Running a soaped up loofah over his body is when he realizes their biggest mistake from the night before.

Looking up when someone steps into the room, Darren sees Chris stop and his eyes go wide.

Waking up a few minutes before was a big shock for him. Naked and remembering the night before, where he thought he might feel regret or distaste for what happened, there was a warmth and a longing for it again. It was amazing, and he's not scared to admit that.

He slept with another man; he slept with Chris, and he thoroughly enjoyed himself both times it happened. It's not weird for him. He won't look at Chris and say this was his entire fault this happened, because he clearly remembers wanting it as much as Chris did. He remembers how the look on Chris' face pretty much confirmed he wanted what occurred between them.

But sitting here now, seeing the worry plainly written all over Chris' face, he starts to think about how Chris probably didn't want this. Feeling like a jackass for not stopping the night before; for taking advantage of an inebriated Chris. He covers his face and groans, falling back on the bed.

If he still wondered, that was answer enough to his question, Chris thinks as he watches Darren. Hearing him groan in frustration was a pretty big sign that he regretted last night.

Tentatively taking a step forward, seeing Darren drop his hands and look to him, he knows he has to bring it up. There's no avoiding it.

"Darren," he quietly says, stopping at the end of the bed. He tries not to look at Darren's naked body, only covered by a thin sheet around his hips.

"Yeah?" he says, pushing himself back up.

"I just wanted to say that last night was a...mistake," he tells him. "We were both drunk and not thinking clearly. It shouldn't have happened."

He doesn't know why he held his breath when Chris was deciding how to describe last night. Of course it was a mistake for him. He doesn't have feelings for him like that. Last night for Chris couldn't have been anything _but_ a mistake.

"Yeah," he nods his head and quietly agrees. "A mistake."

_Mistake!_ Chris' brain yells at him. _That was far from a mistake!_

He so desperately wishes it could have been anything but. But he can tell by the look in Darren's eyes as he stares at him that he regrets the night before big time.

Now he has the big topic to bring up, he thinks.

"Umm...There's something else," he mumbles.

Darren doesn't think there's more he can take at the moment. The guy he wants just plain as day admitted he doesn't see him like that. Nothing more could matter.

"What is it?" he inquires, figuring it's important if Chris is bringing it up now.

"We didn't use protection," Chris informs him, looking a bit worried. "I'm pretty sure neither of us thought to pack condoms to a get away with a friend."

Darren hears the forced laugh Chris lets out after he tries to joke. Shifting his ass the slightest, he realizes Chris is right. He can feel the dried cum between his thighs where it leaked out.

It's then that it clicks for him what Chris is really asking.

"Don't worry," he tells him. "I'm clean."

"Me too," Chris says.

Holding the blanket tightly around his hips, he stands up off the bed. "I'm gonna go take a shower."

"I'll make breakfast or something."

Walking out of the room after Darren went into the bathroom, Chris sighs as he goes over everything. Yeah, sleeping with your best friend is bad. But to do it without protection!

He's never done that before. Not with anybody he's been with. Adamant that it's always used, he can't believe how stupid he was last night.

It seems to be piling up.

Sleep with your friend? Stupid.

Don't use protection? Stupid.

Want to repeat the night before even though said friend doesn't see you like that? Extremely Stupid.

At this point, he is pretty sure he couldn't do anything smart.


	4. Chapter 4

**This is a direct continuation of day five.**

* * *

The smell of eggs cooking hits him when he steps out of the room after his shower. Hearing his stomach loudly growl, he thinks about the huge appetite he worked up after last night.

Pulling his shirt on, he heads to the kitchen to find Chris cooking more than enough food for them.

"What's with the spread?" he asks as he grabs a strip of bacon.

"Wha-...Oh, I cook when I'm worried or bored or excited," Chris replies, scrambling the eggs in the skillet.

He's not bored or excited, Darren's brain tells him. He figures Chris is worried over what will happen now with their friendship after what occurred between them. But he has to let him know that nothing has to change between them.

"Hey, don't let last night ruin our friendship. We can still be best friends," Darren tells him.

Chris loves and hates how Darren knew what he was worried about without having to ask. Loves it because he knows him so well; better than any boyfriend he ever had. But hates it because he's not his boyfriend; he's his best friend. His best friend who won't be more than that.

This whole thing is making him feel like a kid in a candy store forced to only have one specific candy when he wants the one everyone is bragging about.

"Best friends who shouldn't get drunk together again," he jokes, pretty much telling Darren he still wants to be friends.

He smiles when Darren laughs, laughing along with him.

The sound of Chris laughing is one he never gave much thought to. But, being here now, he realizes just how great the sound is. It's melodic in a soothing and comforting way; has him listening as if it's a song he can't get enough of.

"Well," Darren huffs, needing to think of something else, quick. "I don't know about you, but I'm starving." He pats his stomach and breathes in the aroma of food cooking and fresh coffee brewing.

"I'm not surprised, considering what we d-" Darren hears as Chris bites his tongue, knowing how that sentence was going to end. "Yeah, me too."

"Let's eat, then," Darren says.

Breakfast almost feels like an uncoordinated dance that they are doing. They know the moves, but somehow keep managing to mess up. But in the best ways possible. When hands accidentally brush as they reach for the pitcher of juice, or when they catch the other eyes in a moment of speaking. Little moments that are making it difficult for Chris to focus on anything but wanting to kiss Darren and tell him the truth. Tell him that last night, even drunk, was the best night of his life. Tell him it wasn't a mistake for him like he originally said. To tell him he wants him more than anything he's ever wanted before.

But he knows he can't say all that. In saying that, revealing to Darren his true feelings, he knows he would scare him off and probably lose a best friend. Besides, how he acted and looked this morning was clear indication for him how he felt about the night before. It was nothing but a mistake to Darren, and that sucks for him.

"I'm gonna go do...something," Darren mumbles before he watches him walk away.

Dropping his head in his hands, letting out a annoyed groan, Chris hopes they can get through these next several days with their friendship still intact at the end.

Doing "something" ends up being him taking a walk around the neighborhood they are in. The smell of sea-salt in the air, the sound of waves crashing to shore every few minutes, and the morning sun shining bright in the sky go all unnoticed by Darren as he loses himself in thoughts of Chris and he in bed.

It was crazy and fun and wild and beyond amazing. It was a night he could see himself repeating over and over again. Being with Chris in a physical way was something he never gave much thought to before the night before happened. But now that it has, it's all he can seem to think about. How Chris felt and looked as they were in bed together; how great they were together, something that truly surprised him; how they seemed to know the other's body without having to ask. It all was so amazing that being with Chris like that, where it should make him feel weird, only makes him feel at how right it was.

Lost in thought, he doesn't notice the dog running to him. Suddenly, he finds himself standing there as a Golden Retriever playfully jumps up and tries to lick his face, his paws digging into his chest.

"Forrest!" A voice yells several feet away.

Looking up, Darren finds himself watching a woman in her late forties running up to Forrest and he. Her ponytail behind her bobbing from side to side with every step she takes; a leash in one hand and water bottle in the other.

"I'm so sorry," she says as she pulls Forrest down off him. "He gets overexcited when he meets new people."

"It's fine." Darren kneels down and scratches behind Forrest's ears as he sits there with his tongue hanging out of his mouth and staring at him with chocolate colored eyes. Laughing when Forrest licks his face, Darren scratches a few more times and stands back up. "He's a great dog."

"Thank you," the lady says with a smile. "I'm Lydia."

"Darren," he replies as he shakes Lydia's hand.

"I've never seen you around here before," Lydia points out, reaching down and clasping the leash to Forrest's collar.

"I'm renting the house down the street for a week and a half. Never been here before," Darren informs her as he feels Forrest nudge his hand with his snout, trying to get him to pet him.

"Are you enjoying it so far?"

"Yeah," he nods his head as he responds. "My friend and I are loving it."

"That's great." Lydia smiles as she carefully pulls Forrest away from him. "Yeah, me and my husband have lived here for five years and absolutely love it here. And Forrest loves it because he can chase birds on the beach."

"I'm pretty sure he does." Looking at Forrest as he sits next to Lydia's legs, tail wildly wagging behind him and looking like he's full of energy. "I should be heading back. It was lovely meeting you."

"You too," Lydia says as she shakes Darren's hand again, smiling. "Bye, Darren."

Telling her bye, and petting Forrest once more, Darren turns around and starts to head back to the house. Losing himself in thoughts of what Chris might be doing, Darren is surprised when Lydia runs up in front of him, Forrest obviously happy to see him again so soon. "Yes?" he asks.

"Hey, this might sound strange seeing as we just met," Lydia starts off. "But would you and your friend like to come over for a dinner slash party tonight? My husband is throwing this thing and invited everybody in the neighborhood. I thought it would only be polite to invite you. So, what do you say?"

Thinking it over, Darren considers Chris and he aren't doing anything else. He figures it could be a good enough of a distraction for them.

"Sure," he answers with a small smile. "Why not."

"Good. It starts at seven, so come whenever you can. My house is the last on the left."

"Alright. See you then."

Folding his freshly washed clothes, Chris finds it difficult to go more than a minute without flashes of the night before popping into his head.

Walking out of his room after putting his clean clothes away, he feels his heart stop at the sight of Darren in the kitchen drinking water. Staring at his throat and traveling his eyes down to his stomach when his shirt rides up, Chris is so tempted to kiss along the exposed skin and down until he has Darren in his mouth.

"Oh. Hey, Chris," Darren breathlessly says when he spots him walking into the kitchen.

"Hey, Dare."

"We got invited to a party tonight."

"Again?" Chris asks a bit surprised.

"Yeah. I met this lady while I was taking a walk. She invited us to go over to her house for a party."

"Okay. Could be fun," he says as he shrugs his shoulders. "I'm gonna go read out on the beach."

"I'll come with you."

"You don't have to," Chris informs him.

"I want to," Darren says with a smile.

Walking out on to the deck, the smell of the ocean strong in the air, and the sun shining bright in the sky, hearing Darren following behind him, he walks out onto the sand and sits in one of the chairs set up under an umbrella. Staring at Darren as he sits down next to him in the sand, he averts his gaze before he's caught staring and opens his book.

"I've been thinking," Darren announces an hour later as they sit on the beach.

Both under the giant umbrella, safe from the scorching sun, Chris reads a book he found in the house as he sees Darren out of the corner of his eye place his hands under his head. The movement causes his shirt to ride up just enough for a strip of tan skin to be exposed. That simple, small patch of skin has him biting his lower lip and remembering what it was like to splay his hand out over that skin of Darren's belly as he fucked him.

Bad thoughts, he tells himself as he shakes his head. He needs to stop thinking that immediately if he doesn't want to explain why he suddenly needs to run inside.

"That's never a good idea," he says as he forces himself to look back at the words written on the page of the book.

"Shut up," Darren playfully jests. "But, I think we should go rent a boat or something and go out on the water before we go to the party. What say you?"

What do I think, Chris says in his mind. I think we should get naked together again and bang until our brains are mush and we can't make coherent thoughts. I think we should explore what this is between us as we also explore each other. That's what I think, he thinks, wishing he could say that out loud.

"Sorry," he hears Chris mumble as he notices him come out of his thoughts. "Boats and me don't go well together. I'll just end up spending the whole time bent over the railing puking my guts out."

Yeah, Darren's brain kind of shuts off after Chris mentions being bent over. He hears the rest of the sentence but it doesn't really register. All he can think is having Chris bent over the arm of a couch as he gently thrusts into him. That thought alone has his cock very much interested in that scenario; and his mind tries to figure out a way to make it come to fruition.

Sitting up and bringing his knees to his chest, needing to cover up what could become blazingly obvious to Chris at any second, he wraps his arms around his legs and tries to think of what else they could do together.

"So, no to boats," he forces himself to say, hearing how his voice wavers as he speaks. "Surfing?"

"No waves," Chris is quick to point out. "Plus, I don't think either of us knows how to. And if we tried, I'd find a way to injure myself."

"Swimming?"

"Cause that worked out so well last time."

Darren's mind immediately goes to holding Chris close in the water. How he felt in his arms; how his lips looked so tempting and practically had him dying to take them into a kiss. He remembers how he felt like someone about to experience the single greatest moment in their life.

"I'm just gonna go inside and take a nap before we go." Seeing Chris stand up and walk away with his book in hand.

Looking over his shoulder and watching Chris walk back into the house, staring a bit harder than he should, Darren figures there has to be a way to make these next few days not feel so...forced.

Opening his eyes to the sun still shining in the sky, feeling a bit rested after his nap, Chris sits up and waits for his mind and vision to clear. Stepping off the bed, and seeing it's almost six-thirty, he walks to the bathroom to take a quick shower before they leave. Putting on something formal but comfortable, he walks out of his room to find Darren dressed as well, and looking handsome in his attire. Trying not to think about how he looks at the moment, and how he looked the night before completely naked beneath him, he loudly clears his throat to get his attention.

Seeing Darren whip around when he hears him, he smiles. "Ready to go?"

"Sure." Heading for the front door with Chris following beside him, breathing in the smell of lemons that lingers on his skin, Darren feels his mouth practically water with wanting to kiss and taste his skin. The urge to pull him close and press him up against the wall, and forget about going to this party, is something he fights from doing. But if he did; if he gave into those temptations he would have Chris in his arms and be kissing him like it's what he wants most, which it is. "You don't mind walking?"

"It's fine."

Closing the door behind them when they step outside, he stars to head to where Lydia said her home was, Chris beside him.

"How do you manage to keep getting people to invite you to their parties?" Chris jokingly asks as they head to Lydia's house.

"I'm a sweet and charming guy," Darren replies with a hint of amusement to his voice.

"That's what they think." Avoiding when Darren tries to playfully nudge him in his ribs, Chris laughs and is glad that they are acting more like they used to. He isn't sure what it is that has them acting like their normal selves, but he is glad that they can.

For a few hours there, he was scared that everything had shifted for the worse. Fall into bed with your best friend and there's bound to be consequences and immediate changes in the friendship. But he is glad that Darren and he are able to go beyond what happened the night before and continue to be friends. Yeah, the weirdness and awkwardness isn't all going to go away in a day. But going on and being friends is the right step in heading past this.

"What do you want to say when someone recognizes us?" Darren curiously questions as they head up the path to the front door of Lydia's home.

"I guess we could just tell them," Chris nonchalantly replies with a shrug of his shoulders. "Can't hide it forever."

"Yeah," Darren agrees as he knocks, although Chris can see in his eyes he's thinking of something entirely different. "Can't hide it forever."

When Chris gives him a slightly confused look is when he knows Chris knows he's talking about something completely different. And he would be right. As he spoke all he could think about is how he truly feels toward Chris.

"Darren!" Lydia excitedly says when she opens the door. "And this must be your friend."

"Lydia, meet Chris," Darren says as Chris holds out his hand.

"It's lovely to meet you," Chris tells her.

"Likewise." Lydia smiles and opens the door even wider. "Come in. Pretty much everybody is here."

Thanking Lydia and going inside, feeling Chris staying close, Darren smiles at everybody when Lydia introduces them to the entire room. Behind him, he can practically feel Chris shake with nerves and worry.

"Hey," he says as he turns around and faces him. "It's going to fine. We'll be okay. Besides, these people don't seem like the type to watch our show."

"Yeah...Okay," Chris agrees as he nods his head. "I guess you might be right."

Watching as Chris pulls his bottom lip between his teeth and nervously chews on it, Darren wishes he could pull him close and kiss him. A kiss right now would let him know he's here for him one hundred percent; a kiss would comfort Chris when nothing else will. He would give anything to kiss Chris right now.

"Come on," he says as he takes Chris' hand. "Let's get a drink."

Two hours into the dinner party and Chris is pretty sure the expression "seeing red" would fit him perfectly. Sitting on the couch in the living room, nursing his third glass of wine, he watches Darren with some...girl across the room.

He doesn't understand why he should feel jealousy and anger over what Darren is doing. It's who he really is. A night of drunken sex with his best friend isn't going to change that. It's something Darren regrets, and obviously had no effect on him beyond getting laid.

Draining the last of his wine, not caring how much he is drinking, he doesn't personally know these people, Chris stands up and walks to the kitchen. Refilling his glass, and grabbing a few bites of food from the trays sitting out, he knows he's being stupid.

"Don't you think you've had too much?" Darren asks as he steps into the kitchen and finds Chris starting in on his fourth glass of wine. "This isn't that kind of party."

Watching Chris drain his glass like it's nothing, he stares in surprise when he reaches for the bottle of wine again. Taking it from him before he can pour himself another glass, he gets a good look at him when he tries to take it back. In his eyes he sees anger and hurt, and wondering the reason behind that.

"What's wrong, Chris?" he sympathetically asks.

"Why do you care?" Chris asks in a hurtful tone. "Go back to flirting with your new best friend." He stills when Chris glares at him in anger. "She's pretty. I'm pretty sure she'd do anything you want. God knows I did that night."

It's then that it clicks for Darren that Chris is jealous. He's jealous of some girl he would never even consider.

But not only is he jealous, he's telling the truth about how he really feels about everything.

"Chris-"

"We've turned everything to shit," Chris snarls at him. "I would say fuck you, but I've already done that, and look where it got me."

Before he can even think to ask him what he means by that, Chris is taking the bottle from him and muttering something about going back to the house.

Angrily wiping the tears from his face, not believing he's actually crying over this, Chris hastily walks back to the house before he does anything else stupid.

He can't believe he said that to Darren. To tell him how he felt about what happened between him makes him feel like an idiot. He never meant to say word to him. But seeing him with that girl made him so fucking jealous. How come he has to have feelings for someone he can never have?

Heading to the kitchen when he reaches the house, and pulling out the bottle of vodka in the freezer, he figures since he's already fucked everything up he might as well get wasted and forget what he did.

Walking into the house and closing the door behind him, a million thoughts racing through his mind, Darren has a few questions for Chris.

Staying for the rest of the party only seemed right after Chris left. It was easy to act like he was enjoying himself, and on some small level he was. But all he could keep thinking about was Chris and how he acted and what he told him. It feels relieving, in a strange and good way, to know Chris was jealous of some girl. Because for him to be jealous means there are feelings there that go beyond just being friends. It makes his heart race with hope at thinking Chris could possibly see him as someone more than just the friend he's been for the past several years.

Walking into the kitchen and finding Chris sitting on the bench in the sun-nook near the table, glass of vodka in hand going by the open bottle close to him, looking upset, he stands there and wonders what to say.

"Chris," he quietly says to get his attention.

"You know when I found out what he was doing, I wasn't even that angry or jealous," Chris says as he stares out the window at crashing waves. He lifts his glass and takes a drink. "I actually felt kind of relieved, to be honest. It still hurt, though, to know he could so easily dismiss me like he did."

"Why did you feel relieved?" Darren asks as he grabs a glass and sits down next to Chris, reaching over and grabbing the bottle of vodka. Pouring himself a big drink, he knows that this conversation is going to take some alcohol to get through it all.

"I just...wanted out already. I didn't love him. Hell, by the end I could barely stand him, and when I saw him go it felt like a weight had been lifted. I didn't feel so guilty anymore."

"Guilty about what?" Seeing Chris look at him with surprise in his eyes, as if now realizing he is here, Darren can tell he said something he didn't want to.

"I'm surprised your here," Chris roughly says as he drains his drink and stands up. "I would have thought you'd be in her bed by now."

"Why are you doing this?" he asks with a somewhat broken voice.

"Doing what? Being happy for you," Chris tries to point out, but Darren knowing he's lying by the tone of his voice and the forced smile he puts on. "I'm happy you found someone that can entertain you while we're here. I'm thrilled for you," he adds with a voice filled with ice, shooting him a glare that makes him mad more than anything.

Seeing and hearing how jealous and angry Chris is at the moment, it makes Darren mad that he's being treated this way just because of him talking to some girl he'll never see again. Chris, obviously, is keeping something from him if he gets jealous over something as simple as him talking with a girl.

And then it hits him. He realizes Chris is angry because he was talking to a girl. Here he is having slept with him and then he goes and acts like he normally does. Fuck, he only talked to her because he thought Chris didn't want him. Now here they are with so many important things left unsaid.

But now he's mad, himself. Why should he be treated like this because Chris is jealous.

"Stop acting like a jealous boyfriend," he snaps at him. Standing up and walking over to where Chris is standing, he looks at him with anger.

"Haha. That's not possible considering you would fuck anything in a short skirt and high heels that batted her eyelashes at you." Chris glares at him, placing his hands on his hips and lifting an eyebrow.

Hearing that makes Darren further pissed off. He can't believe Chris blatantly just told him he sleeps around like it's nothing without having to say the word. It's not even close to the truth, but he knows he said it to prove his point of him being straight.

"At least I don't get more jealous over my friend flirting with someone than my boyfriend cheating," he counter-replies, seeing the immediate shock in Chris' eyes. "It's the truth, isn't it? That's why you told me that when I came in. You're shocked to know that you're more angry at me talking to some girl I don't care about than your boyfriend sleeping around behind your back."

The next instant Darren feels a pain across his cheek where Chris slaps him. Looking back to him, seeing the hurt in Chris' eyes grow, he doesn't even know how they got here.

It seems one night can fuck everything no matter how hard you try to forget it.

"Fuck you, Darren!"

Grabbing at Chris' hips and pushing him back up against the kitchen island, pressing his body flush to his, the anger between them palpable and thick; he stares into eyes now filled with excitement. Heart beating wildly in his chest, pulse quickening by the second at how close Chris is, breathing heavy, he quickly darts his eyes to Chris' lips, holding back a moan when he runs his tongue along the bottom one.

"We did that, remember you told me," he whispers, leaning closer to Chris. "Like you said "look where it got me.""

Nuzzling his nose along Chris' cheek, feeling the warmth of his skin, and breathing in the smell of lemons, he pulls back far enough to be less than a breath away from kissing Chris.

He knows this isn't right. They're both not in the right frame of mind at the moment. He's drunk and he's sure Darren has a small buzz going right about now. And doing this out of anger would not be a good idea; it would ruin their friendship even further.

But, god, he wants to close the space between their mouths and kiss Darren until he forgets his own name.

This whole night turned out terrible for him. For Darren to say what he did, and for him to be so rude over the fact that Darren was mindlessly talking with another girl shouldn't have had that kind of effect on him. It shouldn't make him angry. He is able to talk and flirt with whomever he likes. Just because they have one night doesn't mean anything. Darren is still the guy wanting the girl, and he's still the guy who doesn't.

Staring into Darren's eyes, seeing flecks of yellow dotted throughout them, he knows this would be another mistake. So, pushing him away before they kiss, he moves and takes a few steps back.

"Don't do that," he warns him, voice firm. "You're not thinking straight at the moment, and I don't want another mistake to happen."

"Chris, I d-"

"No!" He firmly says, moving out of the way when Darren tries to reach out for his hand. "I'm going to bed now. Please, just leave it be before we ruin our whole friendship. Okay?"

"Okay," Darren agrees, nodding his head.

Standing there rooted to the spot, slightly stunned as Chris walks away from him, Darren can only imagine how much more this can change their friendship.


	5. Chapter 5

**Day Six**

When he wakes up it's to an onslaught of memories from the night before. Meeting new people left and right at the party that they shouldn't have gone to. Jealousy, he realizes, does not sit well with him. Then the memory of what happened in the kitchen comes rushing forward and has him dropping his face into his pillow and groaning in frustration.

So close, he thinks. It was right there for him to take. It felt like he was reaching for something to only have his fingertips brush what he wanted. He was so close to having Darren in his grasps and holding on tight. But he had to ruin his own fun by pushing away and leaving.

Having an almost kiss, twice, with your best friend is something that he shouldn't find has his heart hammering in his chest and arousal pooling in his stomach at the thought of it happening. Almost kisses are something that shouldn't be happening between them.

But the memories of what they said to each other has him cringing at how much of an asshole he was. Saying things just to be mean has him wanting to take it all back and wish he could redo the night. He knows he has a big apology to deliver to Darren.

Climbing out of bed and cleaning up, he walks to the kitchen for aspirin and some coffee. Pouring himself a fresh cup of coffee when it finishes brewing, he grabs a packet of Pop-Tarts and goes outside to sit on the deck.

He's fucked. He knows it now more than ever.

Last night between Chris and him was so close to what he wanted and yearned for. It was right there. But he also knows what he did was inappropriate and probably what Chris didn't want.

Finding Chris sitting out on the deck, he knows he has to apologize for what he did.

"Hey, Chris," he says as he steps out onto the deck. "I want to apol-"

"No," Chris cuts him off. "I should apologize for what I said. It wasn't my place to say what I did just because I got a little jealous." Hearing Chris admit he was jealous has Darren doing a little happy dance inside; he knows it means Chris has feelings for him that go deeper than friendship. "We said and did things I'm pretty sure both of us regret. We can't let it happen again. Okay?"

Staring into Chris' regret filled eyes, thinking it's about last night, Darren hates that they've come to this after it seemed they got past what happened. But he knows...He knows, he hasn't gotten past it. It's still with him like a scar he treasures. A scar he loves running his finger over and remembering how he got it. That night with Chris is a memory he can't stop replaying no matter how hard he tries. That night is, for him, a night he will soon not be forgetting. Hell, if he could have his way, he would have a repeat of that night for the rest of the time they are here.

It's not confusing for him, like he thought it would be. Here he was a guy always being chased and chasing after the girl. It's what he knew; what he was used to. But now, he finds himself trying to figure out how to chase after the boy. It's not strange for him, considering he never thought of sexuality as just black and white. You're not one set color always stuck to being drawn to your own color. He's not a person wanting to only go after what society has told him to just because of the color he's labeled himself as. He sees himself more like a paint-by-numbers with new colors being added he didn't know about just yet. Where it was a blank slate in some areas is quickly filling in with a color that excites and thrills him.

He's a work-in-progress that is getting more colorful by the day.

"Okay," he agrees, knowing he's not going to give up that easy. "I'm gonna get something to eat. You want anything?"

"No," Chris says, forcing a smile and shaking his head. "I'm fine. Thanks, though."

Taking a deep breath after Darren walks back inside, setting his empty coffee cup on the table in front of him, knowing there's probably a million emotions playing across his face right now, and he wishes he could have said something differently to Darren just then. He wishes he could have told him that the almost kiss in the kitchen last night should have happened. He should have told him that, yes, he was jealous of the girl he was with at the party because he wants to be the one to make him happy like that.

There's many things he wishes he could tell him. But he's keeping his mouth shut so he doesn't completely ruin their friendship.

Smiling at Darren when he walks back inside five minutes later, he drops his dirty cup in the sink. Wishing there was something, anything, he could say to make it less weird between them, he can't think of anything.

Things have gotten even weirder between Darren and him. It's gotten to the point that it seems they don't know what to say or do around each other now. Yeah, they still talk. But when talking with him, all that seems to register with his mind is how Darren looked under him; how he sounded as he was given what he begged for; how he looked when he experienced pleasure. Constantly having those thoughts is making it difficult for him to be around Darren. Plus the fight they had the night before is something else to add to the pile of things quickly crumbling their friendship.

Going back to the stupid shit he shouldn't have said, Chris wants to hit himself for how much of an asshole and jerk he was. He shouldn't get angry or jealous over whom Darren chooses to talk with. It's not like he can have a say in those things just because of a drunken night together. A drunken night that doesn't change anything about Darren.

He wishes it changed things. Wishes that Darren would come back to him and ask for another night. But he knows that will never happen, and by allowing that they could possible ruin their friendship. But, fuck, he knows if presented with the chance it would be harder than hell to refuse the offer. Being able to resist would take all his strength that he doesn't think he would have.

Drying his hands after cleaning his coffee cup, he walks back out onto the deck and sits on the bench. Lifting his legs on to the table and leaning back against the pillows and cushions, he looks out at the waves as they roll in and crash against some rocks.

Standing there and watching Chris as he sits out on the deck; his long legs drawing his attention as he sits there with them out in front of him. Staring at him, trying to find a reason to go out there and talk to him, and coming up empty, he knows if he were to step outside it would only result in both of them feeling awkward and weird around each other.

Thinking about the fact that they have to watch and consider everything before they say it makes him hate how much things are changing between them. He wants things to go back to normal. But on the other hand, he wants Chris when it seems Chris is not interested in diving into anything between them.

But deciding to take a blind leap, he is going to try and get Chris. He wants to explore what this is between them, and all he has to do is let it be known to Chris that he wants this.

Turning around and walking to his room, he sits on the edge of his bed and goes over a what he wants say to convince Chris this is a good idea.

After sitting on the deck for some time, Chris comes inside and goes to his room. Stopping at his door, looking down the end of the hall to Darren's open door, he quietly walks over and peeks inside. Smiling at the sight of Darren lying back against the bed asleep, legs hanging off the edge, looking peaceful, he leans against the doorframe and watches him for a few seconds. He watches the slow rise and fall of his chest; watches as his fingers clasp at the bedsheet beneath him, obviously grabbing something in his sleep.

Going back to his room, working off his shirt, he finally changes out of his sleeping clothes. Pulling on comfortable shorts and a simple white button-up shirt, he heads for the kitchen for something to eat.

Blinking his eyes open and sitting up, realizing he's been asleep for three and a half hours, feeling rejuvenated after his unexpected nap, not remembering when planning what to say to Chris resulted in him falling asleep, but he feels more than ready to do this now. Stepping off the bed and yawning, he rubs his face and walks out of his room. Grabbing a bottle of water and taking a drink, eating a few strawberries, he calls out for Chris and wonders where he could be when he doesn't respond back.

Looking out the windows when he finishes his strawberries, he sees Chris standing on the beach staring out into the ocean.

Taking a deep breath, he knows it's now or never.

Standing on the beach, digging his feet into the warm sand, the wind blowing strong enough to occasionally push his shirt up his stomach, Chris watches as the sun throws various colors of oranges and yellows on the rippling water. Behind him, he can hear as Darren pushes up sand with every step he takes, cursing out loud when it hits his face and making him chuckle a bit.

Looking at him when he stops beside him, he watches as the sunbeams fall across his face.

"This is beautiful," Darren says as he stares at the view, placing his hands on his hips.

"Yeah," Chris quietly agrees.

As they stand there, wind calming down, Chris knows Darren wants to say something. By the hard press of his lips together, and the way he keeps looking to him and quickly darting his eyes away, he knows something is on Darren's mind.

"You're thinking too loud," he teases, letting out an easy laugh.

"Am I?" Darren looks to him and smiles.

"Yes." Chris nods his head. "What are thinking about?"

"I...I want..." Darren trails off, biting his lower lip and turning away, getting a slightly far off look in his eyes.

How the hell does he tell Chris he wants what happened a few nights ago again. How does he say "Hey, I'm really into you and we should sleep together again." without sounding like a complete idiot and fool.

"Darren." Chris turns him to look at him, seeing him come back to himself. "What's got you so nervous?"

"It wasn't a mistake for me," he just blurts, no hesitation at all to his voice. Guess that's how I say it, he thinks.

Chris pulls in a shocked breath.

They're words he want to hear. They're words that sound like the best music he's ever heard. How could this possibly be happening right now? How can he have Darren standing in front of him telling him that their night together wasn't a mistake? He doesn't know what to say. Trying to process this information his brain in a scramble of questions and thoughts. But he knows he needs to say something considering the extended silence that is happening, and Darren looking at him as if waiting for him to reply.

"Really?" Chris whispers; Darren hearing his voice filled with shock, seeing him trying his best to bite back a smile.

"Yeah." Darren nods his head, letting out an easy laugh.

"Why?"

Darren thinks over how he wants to explain to Chris that this thing between them would be right. This thing could be exactly what they want and need at the moment.

"We're...we're great together," he decides on, not knowing a better way to explain it. "And I enjoyed being with you."

"Just because we have amazing sex once-" Chris sees Darren arch his eyebrow at him, "okay, twice, doesn't mean we're great together. It just means..."

"What does it mean, Chris? Tell me," Darren demands in nice tone.

"It just means we have great sex. It can't mean more. It shouldn't." Letting out an annoyed huff, he thinks about how this is one conversation he didn't want to have. "And you were drunk, Darren. Who's to say you'll enjoy it as much sober."

"Trust me; I'll enjoy it just as much if I'm sober."

"Oh, yeah," Chris says, raising an eyebrow and smirking. "How do you know that?"

"I remember how it was and want it again. That night is all I can think about, and I want you like we were and how great it was."

"I don't know, Darren," Chris sighs.

"I know you want it, too, though," Darren says, wrapping his fingers around Chris' neck and staring into his eyes. "I can see it. I can feel it as your pulse quickens beneath my fingers. You want it again just as much as me."

"You're right." Grabbing Darren's wrists, Chris removes his hands and takes a step back. "But this wouldn't be a good idea."

"Yes, it would." Darren takes a step forward to remove the space Chris created when he stepped back. He feels like a cat stalking its prey. He has his eyes on Chris, and he's determined to have him. "Just here. For these next several days, we'll just be...great together."

Chris sighs as Darren leans forward and barely brushes their lips together.

He can't remember what that kiss was like by the fire. Of all things that are fuzzy and unclear, of all things he wants to remember, it's that kiss. He wants to know, wants to remember how Darren's mouth feels pressed to his.

So, right now, with his mouth right there for the taking, he feels all his resolve crumble like a unsteady stack of Jenga blocks, and Darren took away the right one to make it tumble.

Closing the last of the space between them, capturing Darren's mouth in a desperate kiss, Chris knows there's no going back now. This is them following a path into the unknown, and that makes him excited. It thrills him to know that they are doing this together.

Gently kissing Darren at first, he savors the feeling of his full lips on his. Hands grab at his hips and pull him forward, making him gasp when he feels just how much Darren wants this. Draping his arms over Darren's shoulders, wrapping them around his neck, he moans as the kiss they share has the world disappearing around him. It has everything unimportant leaving his mind and the only thing left is the one thing that matters at the moment: Darren's lips on his.

Chris' mouth on his soon becomes needy and hungry for what he is more than willing to give. Delving his tongue into Chris' mouth when he parts his lips, pressing as close to possible to his body, Darren focuses on Chris and nothing else.

To be here right now, to be standing here kissing Chris like he wanted to, is making his heart beat wildly in his chest and his pulse to quicken at knowing what this means between them. It makes him hungrily anticipate what is to come next; and what will be happening for the rest of the time they are here.

Licking his lips when he pulls away, tasting Darren's cherry flavored Chapstick on his lips, Chris blushes as he stares at Darren.

"Follow me," he bravely says as he takes Darren's hand and starts to walk back to the house.

Chris' words barely register with him as he feels his hand in his. Hell, he could have asked him to rob a bank and he wouldn't have known. His brain short-circuited with that kiss, and seeing Chris lick his lips.

But following behind him as they walk, it quickly becomes clearer by the second where they are going.

The next few minutes are a dance of walking inside and to Chris' room as they kiss and try to remove clothes. Letting out an oomph when Chris forcefully pushes him up against a wall, he feels his shirt hastily pulled over his head. Reaching for Chris' shirt, not caring about ruining it, he rips it open, hearing plastic buttons hitting and scattering across the floor.

"I can't believe we're doing this," Chris states as he kisses down Darren's neck. "And you just ruined my shirt."

Chuckling as Chris kisses down his chest, threading his fingers through Chris' soft hair, he feels the same. "I can say the same," he says as he kisses Chris when he stands back up. Grabbing behind his thighs, lifting him up and feeling him wrap his legs around his waist, he continues to walk to Chris' room. "And I'll buy you a hundred shirts, if you want."

"What I want," Chris seductively whispers into his ear. "Is to fuck you."

Arousal immediately pools in his stomach at Chris' words. The urge to have that happen quickly takes over all other thoughts in his head. Now that Chris has mentioned it, it's all he can think about. And he is more than happy to let it happen.

Dropping him on the bed, grinning down at him as he pops the button of his shorts, he can see the same excitement he's feeling in Chris' eyes. "Guess we should work on that then," he says as he pulls Chris' shorts off.

Several hours later, dropping his head to the curve of Darren's neck, screwing his eyes shut and panting as he works his hips down, Chris can feel how close he is.

It's been five hours since the beach, but this is already the third time they've found themselves doing this. The hard press of Darren's splayed hand at his lower back holds him close; he can feel his warm breath as he breathes out on to his shoulder, kissing at the skin.

There's already a thin layer of sweat that covers both their bodies from everything they've done so far.

Chris is remembering how soft Darren's curls feel around his fingers as he grips his hair when comes. He's found out how Darren tasted on his tongue, and how much he loved that. He's remembering and learning things he thought he never would.

He holds Chris close, moaning as he works his hips down around him.

They're here. That's all he can keep thinking about. It's the only clear thought that crosses his mind. All other thoughts are a jumbled mess about Chris. How he looks as he rides him. The breathy little whimpers he releases as he experiences pleasure. How fantastic he feels around him.

It might be only their fifth time together, but he's quickly realizing no amount of times they do this will be enough.

He wants this, whatever has started between them, so much.

"You close?" Darren whispers in his ear as he gently thrust his hips up.

"Yes," Chris pants as he lifts his head and kisses Darren.

It's still crazy for him to believe that they are actually here.

Right now, he's having sex with his best friend who basically admitted he liked him as more than just what they were. This is something he's wanted for years, and never thinking it would happen. This is them blurring what their relationship is, and not knowing how it will be when these last days come to an end.

Reaching down between their bodies and taking Chris in his hand, feeling how hard he is, he starts to stroke him. Stroking up, and thumbing at the head, he groans when Chris fists his hands in his hair and pulls.

Watching him drop his head back and moan, feeling him work his hips down faster and harder, he leans forward and kisses at the column of Chris' long neck. Sucking and nipping at the skin of his throat, hearing him whimper and moan, Darren continues to move his hand.

He wants to see him come. To see as pleasure swims through his body. It's a sight he's quickly come to love; a sight he can't get enough of. And hearing how Chris sounds, he knows, even though this is only the fifth time with him, that he's close.

It's building and building and building. He's so close. So close to his release that he so hungrily wants.

Grinding his hips down on Darren, and pushing up into his fist, he feels as everything finally snaps.

Dropping his hands to grip Darren's shoulders, fingers digging into skin, he feels as he hotly spills over Darren's fist.

He watches as Chris comes. How he parts his lips around a loud moan that leads into a cry of pleasure, finding that sight beyond sexy. He feels as he spills over his hand, working him through his orgasm.

Locking eyes with Chris when he looks to him after he stops moving, Darren grabs both his hips and stares at him as he finishes. A few snaps of his hips later and he's pulsing inside Chris as he comes, groaning as Chris clenches around him and barely rocks his hips forward to draw his orgasm out for as much as he can.

Resting their foreheads together, Chris catches his breath and stares into Darren's eyes. He sees them filled with happiness and want.

Pulling back and smiling, stroking the back of his fingers over Darren's cheek, stubble barely noticeable, he doesn't let it get past him how great this moment is.

Draping his arm over Darren's shoulder, skimming his fingers over his back, still catching his breath and feeling the thrum of pleasure in his body begin to wane down.

Sitting there in Darren's lap, he feels like he's where he's meant to be.

"Hi, stranger," he whispers as he ghost his fingers over Darren's lips.

He says it because this is a new Darren for him. This is a Darren he doesn't know all that much about. This is a part of Darren that they are both discovering together.

"Hey, cowboy," Darren says back. Chris lets out a small laugh in reference to what Darren said two days ago on the beach.

He's so beautiful. It's all he can think as Chris stares at him with eyes that could compete with the ocean with how deep they seem to be, and how much beauty they hold. He's beautiful with a deep red flush to his skin from all the exertion they've been through. He's beautiful as he laughs; lips parted around the sound as the corner of his eyes crinkle.

"You're beautiful," he voices his thoughts.

"You're still on your high from the orgasm," Chris chuckles as he climbs off his lap.

It's then that Darren realizes Chris doesn't believe him.

Grinning when Darren playfully tackles him to the bed, Chris stares up at him as he looks at him in such a way that has him already wanting him again.

"What?" he chuckles as Darren continues to gaze.

"I meant it," Darren says seriously. "You're beautiful."

Blushing and heart fluttering at the compliment, Chris takes a hold of Darren and rolls them over. "Well, then I guess I should tell you that you're gorgeous," he says as he lies on top of Darren, feeling his fingers skim over his lower back.

"Whatever you believe," Darren snorts.

Chris playfully rolls his eyes at Darren not believing him.

"Seems we see in each other what we don't see ourselves," Chris states as he rests his head on Darren's chest.

Softly skimming his fingers along Chris' spine, feeling him shiver with each pass, his skin warm and soft to the touch, Darren thinks about how true Chris' words are.

He's never been one to look at himself and see what all the hoopla is about how he looks. Apparently where he saw his plain self like millions of times before, people saw a sex symbol or something. It's funny to him, because he doesn't think the words hold much weight. But, somehow, with Chris' words, he believes him. How sure natured he sounded makes him start to wonder if maybe he wasn't giving himself the benefit of the doubt.

"We should shower," he says as he feels Chris press closer to him.

"We should," Chris agrees.

Sitting up, taking Chris with him, Darren can feel the words on his tongue that he wants to ask. It's a simple question. But he's scared of Chris saying no.

Fuck it, he thinks, he's leaped once, nothing wrong in doing it again.

Shifting in Darren's lap, feeling the cum trickle out of him and slide down his thighs, Chris thinks about how great a shower would be.

Staring into Darren's eyes as he obviously debates something with himself, he thinks about how much he would love to shower with Darren. But he considers how, maybe, Darren wants some alone time to think.

Climbing off Darren, and stepping off the bed, not caring about him looking at his naked body, he turns when Darren takes his wrist.

"Want to shower together?" he bravely asks. The beaming smile that spreads across Chris' face is answer enough for him.

Several minutes later standing close to the spray of water as it falls down behind them, Darren holds Chris close to him as they lazily kiss. Having Chris' body, all hard and soft and long and lean pressed to his is sensual. Roaming his hands over wet skin, passing the muscles of Chris' back, he stops right above Chris' ass.

The urge to grab and squeeze the flesh of his ass is strong, but he holds back. It's only been sex and kissing so far; they haven't ventured just yet into exploring the other's body. But having Chris here now, all naked and flush to his body, tempting him with just the press of him close, Darren wants to deviate from whatever is holding him back from reaching down and grabbing Chris' ass. He may want it, but he isn't sure what Chris wants.

Feeling Chris smile against his lips, he can only wonder what he's thinking.

"What?" he curiously asks as breaks the kiss and breathes.

"You're thinking loudly again," Chris informs him; nuzzling his nose along his neck, Darren feels as he presses a feather-light kiss over the pulse point of his neck.

Darren smiles at how well Chris seems to know him.

Nipping at the skin of Darren's neck, licking over where the skin is turning red, Chris knows without asking what Darren wants. The way his hands rest right above the swell of his ass is making it pretty clear.

He finds it cute that Darren is either too shy to do it on his own or too worried to ask. So, taking matters into his own hands, he grabs Darren's hands and slides them down. "Better?" he asks as he feels Darren immediately squeeze, smiling at him.

"Much," Darren replies.

Taking Darren's mouth in a slow and languid kiss, he gasps into his mouth when Darren shoves their hips together. Arousal immediately sparks under his skin; heat flares in his belly even though they just slept together. But it's as if that didn't happen and his body craves to have Darren inside him right now.

Draping his arms over Darren's shoulders, lazily stroking his fingers over the back of his neck, Chris moans as he gently rocks forward into him.

"We're supposed to be showering," he says with a hitch to his voice.

"We are showering," Darren laughs. Chris goes when he walks him backwards under the spray of water. "See," he says, softly rolling his hips forward, again. "Showering."

"I think they call this foreplay," Chris teases as he playfully pushes Darren away.

Standing alone under the hot water, Chris tips his head back and closes his eyes. Running his hands through his wet hair, sighing as the hot water runs down his body, he looks back to Darren to see a wild hunger in his eyes that makes him breathe heavy and lose all coherent thoughts.

The sight alone is killing him.

Watching Chris as he holds his head back as water falls down around him, slides down his body, following a drop of water that glides down his chest with his tongue. Chris is so sexy standing there, and unknowing what he is doing to him. Staring into his eyes when he lifts his head, the urge to have him completely takes over him.

Pulling him to his body, crashing his mouth to his lips, moaning when Chris parts his lips and lets him delve his tongue into his mouth, massaging their tongues together, he clutches Chris and feels as desire continues to grow in him.

"I want you," Chris pants between kisses.

Three words. How the fuck can three words kill him? How can Chris uttering those simple words have his heart racing and excitement build at knowing what he's asking for? He doesn't know, but he is more than happy to give Chris what he wants at the moment.

Reaching behind him and blindly turning the water off, he opens the shower door and steps out, taking Chris with him. Once outside the shower, he pulls Chris to him again and lifts him up. Feeling his long legs wrap around his waist, strong thighs bracketing his hips and ankles crossed at his lower back, he starts to walk to the bedroom.

This hunger he has for Chris is unimaginable and new to him. To constantly want him now they've started this is a new and unknown territory for him. Never before has a person drawn him in so quickly and made him desperate to have them all the time.

"I want to make you scream," he says without conviction as he kisses at Chris' neck after laying him on the bed, hearing him moan as he tips his head back.

"Okay," Chris whimpers.

Curling himself into Darren's side, draping an arm over his waist and slotting a leg between Darren's, Chris sighs in contentment with the last of his pleasure fading away.

"I think what we just did negates the shower we took," he points out with a small laugh.

"It was worth it." Darren lazily strokes his fingers through Chris' hair, feeling how soft it is to the touch.

Thinking about what they just did, how Chris cried out and screamed in pleasure, Darren turns his lips up into a small smile. The way Chris sounded, how he arched his back in pleasure, how he held onto him tight afterwards coming down from his high. All those things will be ingrained in his mind for as long as he lives. All those things are things he could experience over and over again and never tire of it. He loves those little things when Chris and he are together.

Holding Chris close as their bodies cool off and their breathing returns to normal, he knows that he could do this every day and never tire of it.

"Can I ask you something?" Chris quietly says, lifting his head and resting his chin on Darren's shoulder.

Staring into Chris' eyes, seeing curiosity written all over his face, he decides to see what that's about. "Sure."

"You can totally not answer, by the way," Chris says, Darren seeing a blush spread across his cheeks. "This is me just being nosey and curious."

"Color my interest piqued."

"What...what do think...about being with another guy?" Chris buries his face in the crook of Darren's neck after he asks that question, hiding so Darren doesn't see how he's a bit embarrassed to ask that, because why should it matter what Darren thinks if he's sleeping with him.

"Um...it's different," Darren mumbles, scooting down and turning onto his side so Chris ends up staring into his eyes.

"Different how?" Chris murmurs.

"I've never had anyone inside me before. That...that is something new."

"Do you like it? Because if not, you don't have to do it again," Chris is quick to say, making sure Darren knows he doesn't have to do what he doesn't want to.

"I think with anyone else and everything I'm doing with you would make me uncomfortable." Chris smiles as Darren pulls him close; close enough he can feel his heartbeat when their chests come in contact. "There's something about you. Something about how I am when I'm with you that makes me want to try everything with you; makes me thoroughly enjoy everything we do."

"So you like it?"

"Yeah," Darren nods his head, "I like it. Why? Are you surprised?"

"Yes," Chris is quick to reply, voice going high for a split second. "Here you are, walking a figurative straight line and suddenly we're sleeping together."

"Walking a straight line?" Darren chuckles at Chris' choice of words. "You make it seem like I'm taking a breathalyzer test and if I waver that's a bad thing."

"It's not a bad thing," Chris tells him. "Just...weird for me to personally see it happen. I've only ever known you as you were."

"Now you get to know me as I discover a side of me that I never gave a thought to." Darren leans over and takes Chris' mouth in a sweet, tender kiss, practically melting when he sighs into his mouth.

"What does this mean?" Chris asks when Darren ends the kiss. Looking at him; seeing him look so happy makes him smile at knowing he's a small reason for that.

"It means I've stepped off that line I've been walking and taking a new path," Darren replies. "And that we need to take another shower because of what we just did."

"Separate this time," Chris adds, giggling as Darren takes his hand and starts to kiss up his arm. Getting flustered when he starts to kiss across his collarbone, lightly sucking the skin at the base of his throat, Chris knows if he doesn't stop this soon he won't be able to resist him in a few moments. "No more of that." He places his hands on Darren's chest and playfully shoves him away. "I need to shower."

"Me, too," Darren adds.

Watching Darren grab some clothes and walk out of the room, having no problem with not covering up, Chris bites his lower lip and smiles, standing there and staring after him until he leaves his view. He still can't wrap his head around the fact that Darren and he are doing this, doing each other, without a thought to the consequences this will bring up. Yeah, they will come up later. But for now, he's enjoying his limited time with Darren.

Climbing into bed after his shower, hearing Chris still taking his, the sound of his voice drifting into the room as he sings, Darren lets out a small chuckle at how happy he sounds. Belting out the chorus to "Not Afraid" like it's nothing; he wonders, again, just how many rap songs Chris knows.

Admiring Chris in nothing but boxer-briefs and a loose white cotton shirt that slightly sticks to his damp skin as he runs the towel over his hair as he steps into the room, wondering what Chris would do if he pulled him into bed and stripped him naked, he notices him blush when he spots him on the bed.

"You heard me singing, didn't you?" Chris asks as he drops the towel on the bench at the foot of the bed.

"I'm more of a Jay-Z fan, myself," he tells him, laughing when Chris playfully rolls his eyes.

"I can sing one of his songs, if you want." Darren watches as Chris easily climbs up onto the bed, straddling his legs, and crawls to him in a way that makes him look like a cat about to pounce on something it wants. "_You know I - thug em, fuck em, love em, leave em_

_Cause I don't fuckin need em_

_Take em out the hood, keep em lookin good_

_But I don't fuckin feed em_

_First time they fuss I'm breezin_

_Talkin bout, "What's the reasons?"" _Chris stops singing and grins at him, stopped and on all fours right in front of him.

"I find myself strangely turned on by that," Darren informs him as he grabs at Chris' hip and pulls him down until he's sitting in his lap. "What does that say about me?" He slides his hands under Chris' shirt and strokes his thumbs over his hipbones, seeing Chris arch an eyebrow in amusement. "Do another song," he requests with a smile.

"Any particular requests?"

"Surprise me." He sees Chris think it over for a few seconds before getting a look on his face that says he found a song.

"_Can you blow my whistle baby, whistle baby_

_Let me know_

_I'm gonna show you how to do it_

_And we start real slow_

_You just put your lips together_

_And you come real close_

_Can you blow my whistle baby, whistle baby_

_Here we go_"

Gasping when Darren roughly grabs behind his neck and pulls him down into a kiss that could quickly lead to more as he sits up, Chris wraps his legs around Darren's waist and presses close to him. Hands roam down his back and splay at his lower back, pressing his hips down.

That single movement is enough for Chris to moan at the instant pleasure that sizzles and shoots up his spine. Fuck, he might have just taken a second shower, but he would not mind getting dirty again. Pulling in deep breaths when Darren ends the kiss, staring at him with amazement in his eyes, Chris can feel his heart hammering away in his chest. "Wh-...what?" he asks breathless.

"Where have you been?" Darren asks in all seriousness and wonder.

"Right here. Next to you," Chris responds with an unwavering voice right before capturing Darren's mouth in a sensual kiss.

Pushing him back to the bed, and shuffling his legs so he ends up straddling Darren's lap, slowly rocking his hips down, enjoying when Darren gasps into his mouth, he starts to set up a rhythm of gently rolling his hips.

It seems no matter how many times they've done this so far today, Chris can't get enough, even though he knows he probably should let his body rest.

Pulling Chris' shirt over his head, placing kisses down his neck and across his collarbone, slipping his fingers past the waistband of his underwear, he lets out a small chuckle at feeling Chris lift his hips off him and help him push his underwear off his hips. Lifting his own hips when Chris starts to tug at his underwear, kicking them away, he spreads his legs and pulls Chris down on him.

"We really are terrible at staying clean," he says around a moan as he lifts his legs around Chris' waist.

"Shut up," Chris giggles as he leans down and kisses him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Day Seven**

Opening his eyes when the morning sun falls across his face, squinting and covering his face to block out the rays, turning his head, Darren stills when he finds Chris still asleep on his side with the blanket up around his shoulders.

Grabbing the sheet, and slowly pulling it down Chris' body, reveling in each inch of skin that is exposed. Dragging the sheet past the curve of Chris' hip, and down to his knees, he stares at the beauty that is a naked Chris. All smooth, pale skin that is his to explore for several more days. Having Chris right there makes him feel like a person granted access to the most exquisite piece of art he is allowed to touch when he wants.

"You better have a good reason for uncovering me," Chris murmurs as he keeps his eyes closed, small smile appearing on his lips.

"Just admiring the gorgeous view," Darren tells him, practically seeing him roll his eyes even though his eyes are closed.

"How long have you been wanting to say that?" Chris opens his eyes to Darren looking at him with delight in his eyes.

"When I first met you...Do you remember that night?"

"You were so excited to meet me and be apart of the show." Smiling as he relives that memory, also remembering how he immediately developed a crush on Darren that night. "Why?"

"When I first saw you sitting at the table waiting for me, tearing pieces of your napkin off, it's the first thing I thought. I literally saw you and went "God, he is gorgeous." as I stared in awe."

"Had you ever thought that about another guy?"

"To some extent," he casually replies, shrugging his shoulders. "But I had never felt an attraction like I did with you."

"You were attracted to me?" Chris says surprised.

"How could I not be," Darren responds with a small chuckle. "You're this great guy that I had been admiring for some time when I watched the show. Does that surprise you? Knowing I felt that way from the start?"

"Yes," Chris says as he nods his head. Pushing Darren on to his back and straddling his hips, smiling down at him as he holds his hands down. "Do you think things would be different if we admitted how we felt from the beginning? If we told each other about our attractions."

"No," Darren is quick to reply.

"Explain." Letting go of Darren's hands, Chris carefully lowers himself to lie on top of him. Crossing his arms over his chest, he rests his chin on his hands and stares into Darren's eyes that are shining bright.

"I think we wouldn't have had the friendship we do. We probably wouldn't have done anything because of me, and that would have made things extremely awkward and weird between us."

"Why not because of you?" Chris curiously asks.

"I've done a lot of growing up in the past few years. The me then would have just...chalked up how I felt to admiration and excitement at meeting you. I wouldn't have indulged myself."

"Why indulge yourself now?"

"I've grown up since then; we both have. I can now admit that maybe my attraction was more than just that. Maybe it goes deeper than a simple little crush that had me thinking you were hot."

Laughing at what Darren said, Chris can understand where he is coming from. "I understand," he says. "I probably would have avoided you afterwards if I told you how I felt. And we would have never become friends that we are. So, yeah, I get where you're coming from."

"Can I just say I'm glad we are no longer denying how we feel for the other? Because it feels great being here, right now, with you."

"Ditto," Chris agrees.

Lying there with Chris on top of him, his warm body weighing down on him in a way that is comforting, he decides to tell him what changed, made him realize, it was more than attraction for him. "You want to know what made everything shift for me? What made me want you?" he quietly says as he skims his fingers along Chris' back.

"What?"

"The first day here, you licked your lips and I was done. I know I've seen you do that thousands of times before. But something about this time had something I guess...click in my brain and tell me to take notice of this guy in front of me. I wanted you more than anybody I had ever wanted before." Looking at Chris as he sees an emotion he can't place swimming around in his eyes, brows creased in thought, he begins to wonder if he said something wrong. "What? Was I not sup-"

"No," Chris cuts him off. "I'm just...surprised and shocked how that was only a few days ago. I mean, me, I've wanted you for years, and you've just had that feeling."

"Is that a bad thing?" Darren asks, feeling as if Chris is pissed at him for just having his epiphany or feelings.

"No. I'm just...I guess angry that you didn't have to wait as long as I did to get what you wanted. One moment you realize you want me, and practically the next we're falling in to bed together. My moment was years ago, and having to wait was terrible. Add the fact that I thought I would never have you. So, yeah, I'm a little angry."

Completely understanding where Chris is coming from, but not really knowing what to say, he does the one thing to show Chris that he is here now in front of him for him to have as he wants. Lifting his legs and hooking them over Chris' waist, seeing him come out of his thoughts, he smiles up at him. "I'm yours for these next few days, Chris. You waited all this time for me; it's only fair, and logical, that you do whatever you want."

"Have I ever told you that you're amazing?" Chris asks as he leans down and kisses him.

Darren laughs as he shakes his head no.

Hearing Darren release a breathy moan when he pushes into him a few minutes later, hands clutching at his back, Chris knows it was terrible waiting all those years for this moment. But he also knows Darren was worth the wait.

After finally climbing out of bed, not surprised it took all his willpower to do even that, Darren chuckles at standing on wobbly legs. If he could, he would spend all day in bed with Chris just doing simple things as talking and sleeping, and making each other feel great. But mostly the last part.

Taking a quick shower after Chris, putting on shorts and a plain shirt, he walks back out to the bedroom. Smiling at the sight of how disarrayed the sheets and pillows are on the bed, he thinks about the day before and how great it was. Picking up a knocked off pillow, tossing it to the bed, he heads out of the room.

Popping a few slices a bread into the toaster, and grabbing the jar of grape jelly and a butter-knife, Chris playfully hits Darren when comes up next to him and steals one of his toast when it pops up. "Make your own," he chastises him, sticking his tongue out.

"But these are already toasted," Darren laughs as he leans over and kisses Chris.

Still getting use to Darren kissing him anytime now, Chris sighs into the kiss and completely forgives him for stealing his food. "You better be lucky you're such a great kisser."

"I don't know about that statement." Chris lets out a small scream when Darren lifts him up and sits him on the counter. "Maybe I should do further research."

"I'm more than happy to be your guinea pig," Chris murmurs right before Darren hungrily kisses him.

Draping his arms over Darren's shoulders, pulling him close between his spread legs, feeling him grab at his hips, he parts his lips and moans when Darren tentatively licks into his mouth, gently massaging their tongues together. It sends a tingle through him and under his skin, making him deepen the kiss, eagerly taking more of what Darren has to offer. Moving his hands to wrap around Darren's neck, he holds him as they hungrily kiss.

Feeling Chris lift his legs and lock his ankles at his lower back, his fingers gently digging into his neck, he moans as he kisses him in a way that has him wishing he was the one sitting because he is pretty sure he's about to fall over.

He's not sure how long they stay there kissing like teenagers taking advantage of a stolen moment, but he doesn't care. He could spend all day kissing Chris and never get bored of it.

"Yup," Chris breathlessly says as he nods his head and pulls away. "Definitely a great kisser."

"It doesn't hurt that I have someone worth kissing." Nuzzling his nose along Chris' cheek, feeling the warmth of his blush, he moves to bury his nose in the curve of Chris' neck, breathing in the smell of lemons. Placing a small kiss at his pulse point, hearing Chris release a small gasp, he smiles against his skin at getting him to make a noise like that with a simple kiss. "Come on," he says when he pulls back and stares into Chris' eyes. "Let's eat breakfast."

"You mean eat the toast I made," Chris says, pretending to be upset at Darren, but smiling at him.

"Yes," Darren chuckles. Helping Chris off the counter, hands at his hips that slightly dig in, he brings him in close to his body, pressing as close as possible. The heavy beating of Chris' heart in his chest is easily felt as they stand there; staring into Chris' eyes, seeing as he darts his tongue out and licks his lips, he can't resist that and finds himself pressing his lips back to Chris' in a tender kiss. "I really love kissing you," he quietly states when he rests his forehead to Chris'.

"I can tell," Chris teases around a giggle. "And I love kissing you too. But right now, I think we should eat."

"I concur with that." Letting go of Chris, he watches as he moves around the kitchen, garnering all of his attention, although, now, it doesn't take much for that to happen.

Sitting on the couch after breakfast, watching as Darren flicks through channels on the television, not seeing interesting he wants to watch.

"Want to make out?" Darren nonchalantly asks as he turns off the tv and tosses the remote on to the table.

"What are we, teenagers?" Chris laughs as he pokes Darren in his side. "I feel like we're in one those cliché movies when the guy asks the girl that."

"So...Do you not want to make out?" Darren confusedly asks, looking a bit heartbroken.

"No." Chris shakes his head as he bites his lower lip. Facing Darren and tucking his legs underneath himself, he grins as he reaches down and pops the button of Darren's shorts. "I rather do something else."

When Darren talks, it's with laughter and amusement very much evident in his voice. "Is that so?"

"Yes," Chris replies as he nods his head and shoves his hand down Darren's shorts.

"I can tell you that I'm thoroughly enjoying this idea of yours."

"I can tell." Chris feels as Darren grows hard under his hand as he gently palms him. "Now lift your hips," he politely commands him.

Doing as Chris asks of him, watching as he pulls his shorts down along with his boxers. Sitting back down, he drops his head back on the couch and moans as Chris, without pretense, leans down and easily takes all of him into his mouth. The heat combined with Chris' silky, talented tongue has him threading his fingers through Chris' hair and letting out little gasps and moans.

Sitting there and soaking in Chris' mouth on him, and the pleasure that is creating under his skin, he turns and looks out the glass wall, seeing people standing on the beach, obviously talking, but not noticing Chris and he. Once he sees them, he freezes. "Chris!" he says as he tries to lift him up. "There are people on the beach that I'm pretty sure can see what is going on right now."

Staring at Chris red, swollen lips when he lifts his head, staring as he licks his lips, he notices him glance to look at the people outside. "They can only see you," he informs him. "And nothing wrong in letting people know you're getting a blowjob. It's their own fault if they keep staring."

"Did you know they were there when we started?" he asks out of curiosity.

"I might of," Chris replies with a grin.

Moaning and grasping a handful of Chris' hair, again, when he sinks his mouth back down around him, Darren starts to wonder if this is something Chris enjoys. He wonders if he likes doing sexual acts knowing someone might catch him.

At that thought, he lets a small smile appear on his lips at getting to find out all new things about Chris that he never knew before.

Working his mouth up and down, sucking at the head of Darren's cock when he lifts his head almost all the way off, and dropping back down, feeling him tighten his grip on his hair, Chris moans as he sucks Darren off. Doing this, plus combined with the fact that anyone can see what is going on, he finds himself strongly aroused and turned on by all of it.

Hearing Darren's voice hitch, and feeling him arch his back, he holds his hips down as he comes down his throat. Groaning as he feels Darren slightly dig his fingernails into his scalp, he swallows everything he has to give.

Sucking until he has nothing left, Chris lifts his head and wipes his thumb over the corner of his mouth. Chuckling at seeing Darren lax and all blissed out, he leans over and kisses his cheek. "I'm gonna grab some beers," he says as he stands up off the couch.

"Oh...okay," Darren mumbles, still reveling in his post orgasm haze.

Grabbing two bottles of beer from the fridge and walking back to the couch, finding Darren buttoning his shorts, he sits down and holds out a bottle to him. Twisting off his cap, and tossing it on to the table, he takes a long drink of the cold beverage. "That was fun," he says as he drops his hand to his lap, the bottle cold against his skin.

"Which part?" Darren chuckles. "You blowing me, or the idea of getting caught?"

"Both." Licking his lips, still barely tasting Darren, he smiles as he lifts his legs and sits back against the armrest. Laying his legs across Darren's lap, taking another drink of his beer, he loves how easily they've fallen into whatever this is between them.

With anybody else, and he's pretty sure he would have had great difficulty being as carefree as he is now with Darren. He, more than likely, would have been skittish and unsure what to do or say. But, somehow, with Darren it comes easy; it's natural like all things with him are. And natural is making what they are doing so much more amazing.

"What do you think would have happened to us if we never came here?" he asks as he messes with the edge of the label on the bottle that is starting to unstick.

"We…I," Darren laughs at realizing his mistake, "probably would have gone on being oblivious to how I could have felt for you. Maybe, and that's a big maybe, it still would have clicked for me. But I wouldn't have counted on that."

"I most likely would have still gone on silently pining for you," Chris admits with a blush. "Although, I don't think pining is the right word in that situation. I would use…"

"Hope," Darren whispers as he stares at him.

"Yeah," Chris nods his head, agreeing. "I would have hoped for more between us."

"I guess it's a good thing we came here, then?"

"An extremely good thing." Bringing the bottle to his lips and finishing his beer, Chris smiles as he thanks whoever that he agreed to Darren's crazy idea of staying at a beach house for a few days.

Staring at Chris as he lays his head back on the arm rest of the couch, eyes closed and small smile on his lips, Darren is grateful that they decided to come here. Who knows how different things might have been. Yeah, more than likely they would have gone on to still be the best friends they are, but he wonders…Would thing have changed? Would it have eventually clicked for him? Would he have taken notice of Chris as more than the just the friend he is?

He doesn't have those answers. Being here, now, he is glad that he will never have to ask those question.

Taking a drink of his beer, he stares at Chris and can't believe that his best friend managed to be something so much more than that. He can't believe Chris is quickly becoming someone he could be with as more than just a friends with benefits, if that's what they are doing right now.

Out on the deck sitting on the bench after lunch, Darren next to him occasionally tracing random patterns over his palm, sending shivers up his spine at the touch, Chris can't help but smile at how all easy this is between them.

After yesterday, after discovering how great they are in bed together, there isn't the awkwardness of looking at the other person and knowing how they are in bed. There's no weirdness at quickly leaving the friend zone and diving into whatever they are doing.

Chris really isn't sure what it is they are doing. It's only been sex so far, and nothing more than that. They aren't together in the traditional sense of the word. Right now they're just feeding a hunger that is strong in both of them. They really haven't discussed beyond what they've done what they are.

So, yeah, it's just sex so far. But, Chris has to admit that it's the best sex he's ever had.

Scooting closer to Darren, feeling him wrap his arm around his shoulders and hold him, he rests his head on Darren's shoulder. Down the beach he can hear as people are having fun, not knowing what they are doing to get people cheering and booing every few minutes.

"What are they doing?" he asks Darren as he starts to draw circles on Darren's thigh.

Turning his head to get a look at the people down the beach, Darren sees a group of college looking kids playing volleyball.

"Playing volleyball," he tells Chris.

Holding him when he snuggles closer to him, breathing in the smell of vanilla still lingering on his skin from their shower yesterday, Darren is surprised a smell is turning him on.

"We should go over and ask to play with them," he suggests as he looks back to the group of people playing beach volleyball on the beach.

"No, we shouldn't," Chris adamantly states. "That is a sure fire way to me hurting or embarrassing myself."

"Come on," Darren playfully whines. "It'll be fun. Please."

Seeing Chris think it over for a few seconds, he notices him slowly begin to give in. "Okay. Fine." Darren grins when Chris finally agrees. "But I can't promise I'll have fun."

"Thank you," Darren happily says as he leans over and gives Chris a quick kiss on his cheek. Grabbing his hand and pulling him up off the bench, he leads them down the steps and immediately lets go of Chris' hand. He wishes they could hold hands for longer, but he knows by walking over to the people they run the risk of being noticed, and having those people seeing him holding his co-stars hand is a sure fire way to get gossip spreading about them when they don't need that.

"This was a terrible idea," Chris grumpily tells him as he wipes the sweat from his forehead thirty minutes later.

"This is fun," he enthusiastically tells him. "Maybe you'd have more fun if you actually focused on the game, and not me." Darren arches an eyebrow at him and gives him a look that says he knows what he's been doing.

"It's not my fault how distracting you are," Chris says as he winks at him.

Darren just chuckles and goes back to his spot where he was at before, once again noticing Chris watching him and not paying attention to the game about to start.

An hour later Chris finds himself limping away from the game and back to the house. Behind him, he hears Darren thank the people for an awesome game.

_Awesome!_ He would call it something else. That was a game he should have never participated in. Sitting his ass in the sand and watching Darren play would have been a better alternative to hurting his ankle.

"You okay?" Darren asks him as he runs in front of him.

"Does it look like I'm okay?" he answers, stopping and putting all his weight on one foot. "My ankle hurts," he pathetically adds, wincing when a flare of pain hits him.

"Come on," Darren says as he turns his back to him. "I'll carry you back to the house."

Not even having to think about it, Chris doesn't pass up the offer Darren is giving him.

Gripping Darren's shoulders, he hops up onto his back, feeling Darren's arms hook under his knees. Wrapping his arms around Darren's neck, he buries his face in the crook of his neck.

"I hate you," he mumbles, kissing at the skin beneath his lips, tasting the salt from Darren's sweat.

"No, you don't," Darren replies with a laugh.

"Yeah, you're right." He kisses Darren's neck again, smiling.

The press of lips to his skin send a jolt through him that makes him want to run to the house as quick as possible and do things that would involve Chris under him writhing and whimpering with pleasure.

But, he figures it's best they forgo that for now so they can see how bad Chris' ankle is.

Feeling Chris carefully climb off him once inside the house, he sees him limp over to the couch and fall on it. Going to the kitchen for some ice, he grabs two bottles of water while there.

Walking back to the living room, he chuckles at only seeing Chris hurt ankle propped up on the arm of the couch. Staring at the line of Chris' foot to his ankle, Darren feels a guy from the turn of the twentieth century strangely turned on by the sliver of reveled skin he can see.

"Up," he tells Chris as he reaches the couch. Sitting down when Chris lifts his legs, he grabs his injured ankle and gently places the ice pack to it. "How is it?" he asks as he softly massages the area around the ankle.

"Feels better with the ice," Chris mumbles as Darren sees him drape his arm over his eyes.

"A hot bath will make it much better." Darren tries not to think about sharing a bath with Chris that would be perfect.

"You do everything and I'm up for it." Chris moves his arm and looks to Darren. "And carry me. You have to do that too."

Lowly moaning when Darren massages his ankle, he tries not think about his fingers doing things that would have him falling apart. Letting those thoughts go, he reaches for one of the waters and takes a drink. Feeling Darren lift his ankle and stand up, placing a pillow under his foot, he wonders what he is doing.

"What are you doing?" he asks, feeling the water from the ice slide down his ankle.

"Drawing you a bath like you wanted," Darren tells him.

"Mmm, that sounds good."

Turning on to his side after Darren walks away, he feels his eyes get heavy and slowly drift to sleep.

Sticking his hand under the stream of water, feeling it's just perfect, Darren reaches down and puts in the stopper and then adds some of the vanilla scented soap that is in the bathroom. Letting the tub fill up, he walks out of the bathroom to get Chris.

Finding him asleep on the couch, and instead of waking him, he lifts him up in his arms. Carrying him to the bathroom, he buries his nose in Chris' hair and breathes in the smell of vanilla mixing with sweat. The smell shouldn't affect him as much as it does, but it has arousal pooling in his stomach and want building throughout him.

"Are you seriously carrying me?" Chris' mumbles, lifting his head from where it's rested against Darren's shoulder. "I could have walked."

"More like hobbled," Darren laughs, kissing Chris' temple.

It's a simple, tender kiss that makes Chris' heart skip a beat. It has him releasing a sigh and clutching tighter to Darren.

Sitting on the edge of the tub when Darren sets him down, Chris sees him reach across him and hears as the water shuts off. Tipping his head back and smiling up at him when he stands back in front of him grinning down at him, he gazes at his lips and has a deep urge to kiss him.

Standing up and doing just that, he moans as Darren tentatively licks into his mouth. Grabbing at Darren's neck, feeling his pulse under his fingers, he pulls back when Darren starts to lifts his shirt up. Raising his arms above his head, he drops them when the shirt is all the way off.

"Enjoy the bath," Darren tells him.

Not wanting him to leave, Chris bravely grabs him by his belt buckle and grins, keeping him there.

"Where you going?" Chris asks him.

"Nowhere, now," Darren chuckles, leaning forward and giving Chris a tender kiss.

Undressing each other, savoring every inch of skin reveled, Darren can't help but to reach out and splay his hand over the soft skin of Chris' belly. Stroking his thumb right below his navel, feeling his stomach jump beneath his hand, Darren smiles at being able to do that to Chris with a single touch.

"We should get in before the water goes cold," he says.

"Yeah," Chris agrees with him, nodding his head.

Holding onto Chris' hand when he takes it, he watches him carefully step into the tub, releasing a moan that goes straight to his cock and has another wave of desire rise up in him. Stepping in after him, he sits down across from Chris, legs opened and Chris' legs between his, feet hooked over his thighs.

"This is exactly what I needed," Chris sighs as he rests his head back on the edge of the tub.

Darren watches as he closes his eyes and breathes. He watches him lick his lips, something that now always has him wanting to kiss Chris. Grabbing Chris' ankle, to distract himself, he lifts it out of the water and rubs the area to work out some of the pain.

"Can I ask you something?" He watches Chris lift his head and smile at him, nodding his head in reply. "You said the other night that after he left you didn't feel guilty anymore. What did you feel guilty about?"

Massaging Chris' ankle as he sees him think over the question, noticing a play of emotions on his face, but mainly worry.

"I...um," Chris stutters, not knowing how Darren will take his answer. "Remember how I said I didn't love him?" He sees Darren nod his head yes at the question. "Well, I felt guilty because I knew he loved me, but all I could always think about was you." Hearing the surprised gasp of breath Darren releases, he minutely nods his head and shrugs his shoulders. "Yeah…Even when I was with him all I could think about was you. I think he knew too. It was probably why he cheated on me; needed to get back at me in some weird way."

"If you believe that, you shouldn't," Darren tells him a in a voice that is soft.

"Why?"

"Because no matter how you felt toward him, he had no excuse to do that to you. Love or deeply like, he still knew you had feelings for him. Just because they weren't what he wanted, and because he knew how you felt about me, doesn't give him the right to do what he did."

Letting the corner of his lips turn up into a small smile, Chris loves that Darren was able to reassure him that he did nothing wrong; that he isn't the one to blame for how everything went down in the last months if his relationship with his ex. "Thanks," he mumbles.

"No problem," Darren tells him as he continues to massage his ankle.

Climbing out of the tub after the water goes cold, helping Chris to step out, he wraps a fluffy, white towel around his shoulders around him right when he starts to shiver. "Better?" He smiles when Chris nods his head in reply, wrapping a towel around his hips. "Let's get dressed and I'll attempt to cook us something."

"You can cook?" Chris says as he wraps the towel around his hips.

"I can heat up frozen food like it's nobody's business." He hears Chris silently laugh next to him. Seeing him hobble over and toss himself back on the bed, towel falling open but not off, Darren admires the view for a few moments. "Ankle still hurt?" he asks as he grabs Chris' hurt ankle and massages his fingers into the bone and bit up his leg.

"Feels better," Chris murmurs as he lifts himself up onto his elbows. "You know what would make it much better?"

"What?" Darren grins as he runs his hand up high against Chris' inner leg and then his thigh.

"Not that," Chris laughs as he playfully swats his hand away. "Well, maybe that. But, no, a strong drink."

Pulling Chris up by his hands, helping him off the bed, holding in a moan when his towel stays on the bed, Darren holds him close. "Well, let's get dressed and I'll cook and you can make drinks."

"Deal." Chris leans over and gives Darren a quick kiss.

Grabbing Chris when he moves to turn away, he delves in for a hungry, frantic kiss. Backing Chris up against the bed, feeling him grab at his hips to steady himself, he kisses him with vigor.

Kissing Darren is great. Kissing Darren, for him, is like experiencing cotton candy dissolve on his tongue. It starts off as one thing but always dissolves into something else, something exciting. But, somehow, always managing to be sweet. So, kissing Darren right now is a good distraction from the slight pain still coming from his ankle.

Moving his hands from Darren's hips, feeling water drops under his fingers, he gently nudges the towel off his hips. "Oops," he playfully says against Darren's lips when they stop kissing, staring into the other's eyes.

"What are we going to do about the current situation we've found ourselves in?" Darren teases as he kisses along Chris' bare shoulder, and up his neck.

"I'm really hoping orgasms are involved," Chris whimpers as Darren lightly kisses and nips at the scar on his neck, sending jolts of pleasure through him.

"Is that so?" Moaning when Darren presses as close as possible to him, his body quickly getting hotter by the second at the thought of what is about to come, he gets even more turned on at feeling Darren hard against his hip. "Guess we should do something about that then."

Sighing when Darren lifts his leg with his hurt ankle, knowing he probably doesn't want him to stand on it too long, he hooks it over Darren's waist and clutches at his shoulders when he perfectly situates himself between his legs and gently starts to rock his hips forward.

Digging his fingers into the underside of Chris' thigh as he holds on to his leg for support, other arm wrapped around his back and hand gripping Chris' shoulder, Darren rolls his hips into him as he rocks forward. The movement of their bodies together is made easier by the water still clinging to their skin.

Kissing at Chris' neck when he drops his head back and moans, smelling the vanilla from the bath soaked into his skin, he lets go of Chris' shoulder and clutches at the bed behind him for support as he starts to move faster.

Clutching tighter to Darren, lifting his other leg around his waist, and feeling Darren move his hand from his thigh to around his waist to hold him, Chris whines low in his throat at how amazing it feels. Dropping his forehead to Darren's and staring into his eyes darkened with lust, both of them breathing heavy, and moving together, he knows he could spend forever in this moment and never tire of it.

Dropping one of his hands from Darren's shoulder, placing it on the bed behind him for support, he feels his heart flutter at his fingers brushing Darren's hand. Covering Darren's hand with his, and linking their fingers as best as he can, he holds on tight as he gets closer to what he wants.

Squeezing Chris' fingers intertwined with his, holding him tight as they move together, Darren can feel how close he is.

Capturing Chris' mouth in a kiss that is more along the lines of mouths pressed together, he feels Chris squeeze his hand as he tosses his head back and cries out as he comes between their bodies. Watching Chris come, looking beautiful, and feeling him spill onto his abdomen, he thrusts forward hard a few more times and comes himself.

Letting Darren hold him after they collectively come down from their combined highs, Chris rests his forehead to Darren's shoulder and breathes. Dropping his shaky legs to the floor, holding on to Darren so he doesn't collapse in a heap of loose limbs and giddiness to the floor, he smiles in delight as he listens to Darren's heavy breathing.

"Now I'm really hungry," he states as he reaches for the towel on the bed.

Hearing Darren laugh, he uses the slightly damp towel to clean themselves up.

Fluttering his eyes closed and filling with joy when Darren grabs him and gently and tenderly kisses him, he smiles against his lips when he stops.

"Come on, let's eat for real this time," Darren tells him.

Grabbing a few things from the fridge as Chris makes margaritas behind him, he bumps the door with his hip to close it. Both of them in only in boxers and loose shirts, still happy after their little moment in the bedroom, Darren goes up behind Chris and gives him a kiss on the back of his neck. He watches as he pours more than enough tequila into the blender filled with ice and a margarita lime mix.

"You know, I would actually like to remember my name tonight," he states as he watches Chris pour even more tequila.

"Don't worry; you'll be remembering your name."

"How?"

Chris slyly grins at him. "Because I'll be screaming it."

The urge to strip Chris naked right there and make him scream it now is strong. But he fights temptation and just arches an eyebrow at him, feeling like fire is running through his veins with the need to have right then and there. "Is that a promise?" he asks with a steady voice that takes all of his willpower.

"Most definitely," Chris replies with a Cheshire Cat grin and a wink.

Hearing the blender whir to life in a loud noise, he forces himself to step away from Chris and start cooking. Focusing on that, he grins when Chris sets a margarita glass filled down in front of him, getting a strong whiff of the tequila in it.

"Cause nothing goes better with margaritas than grilled cheese," Chris teases him as he takes a drink of his beverage and leans against the counter next to him.

"I can grill; grilling is easy for me." Darren places one of the grilled cheese sandwiches in the pan. "Outside of that, I'm pretty much left with knowing how to order takeout and heating up frozen food."

"Aww, poor, baby, having to suffer takeout," Chris playfully teases as he takes another drink of his margarita.

"Yes," Darren huffs, acting wounded by Chris' statement. "My life is difficult."

"Except for the part where you're fucking me." Chris smiles and winks at him.

"Except for that part. That part is easy, and fun." Leaning over and kissing Chris, tasting lime and tequila on his lips when he swipes his tongue across them, he figures the alcohol is quickly working its wonders. "I'm guessing those are strong," he states when he pulls back, nodding to the glass in Chris' hand, turning back to the stove to flip the sandwich.

"Why do you say that?"

"When you're drunk, you're...How do I put this? You're tongue becomes loose and you tell the truth a little too easily," Darren explains to him.

"No, I don't!" Chris protest.

"Yes, you do."

"Prove it."

Thinking of something to prove his point, he remembers earlier this morning on the couch. "Do you have a bit of an exhibitionism kink?" he asks as he places the grilled cheese on a plate.

"Oh, come on," Chris says. "You can't tell me it's not hot at the thought of someone catching you hav-"

Laughing when he sees Chris clamp his mouth shut and cover it with his hand, he gives him a look that says "I told you so."

"Oh, my god!" Chris muffles against his hand, staring at Darren in shock. He can't believe he just freely admitted that to him. Hell, even his ex didn't know about that. Not that he needed to, because he would never have done what he did with Darren earlier today. It's something he's kept a secret just because it was nobody's business. And here he has Darren easily figuring it out, and him admitting it because of the alcohol. Fuck, maybe Darren was right, he thinks. "I can't believe I just admitted that."

"Like I said, alcohol makes you tell the truth," Darren tells him.

"Maybe I shouldn't drink then," he says as he eyes what little is left in his glass.

"No, you should. It could be fun."

"No, I shouldn't." Chris shakes his head. "I just easily admitted to something no one knew about. I don't need more of that happening tonight."

"You've never told anyone about that?" Darren curiously asks him.

"No," Chris replies, finishing his drink. "Which is why you shouldn't ask me things anymore."

"So, I can't ask where I rank amongst other guys you've slept with?" Darren grins at him as he waits for an answer.

"The top." Fuck! It's the only thing that runs through Chris' mind as he easily blurts his answer. But going by Darren's expression, he's glad he replied. "No more. I swear!"

"Okay. Okay," Darren says as he holds up his hands in surrender.

Sitting down to eat when the food is finished, taking a big bite of the cheesy goodness, Chris smiles and gives Darren a kiss in thanks.

Watching Chris practically devour his sandwich, Darren eats his own as he drinks his first glass of the margarita drink Chris made. Tasting just how strong it is, he figures one is enough for him tonight. Looking at Chris finish his second glass, he can only imagine what the next several hours will bring.

"How about ice cream on the couch?" he suggests as once they finish. Standing up and placing the dirty dishes in the sink, he grabs two cans of Coke from the fridge along with the pint of Rocky Road ice cream in the freezer.

"Sounds good to me," Chris tells him as he pops up out of his chair, walking over to the living room.

Grabbing two spoons, and some napkins, he follows behind Chris. Sitting down next to him, feeling him snuggle into his side, he takes the lid off the container and hands Chris a spoon. Digging in to the creamy delight, the ice cream cold and sweet and silky on his tongue, he smiles when Chris moans as he eats his first spoonful.

"I want to thank whoever invented ice cream," Chris says as he gets more.

Chuckling at Chris' words, he kisses his forehead and wonders why it took so long for him to take notice of the person in front of him all this time.

Thinking about that, he wonders where they might be if he realized this a year, or even six months, ago. Would they be together? Would Chris have left his ex for him and not have to endure finding out what he was doing behind his back? Would they be in love? He thinks that because he knows how easy it would be for him to fall in love with Chris. Chris is, literally, the best friend he never thought of outside of that until it clicked one day. He feels like the idiot who didn't see what was there all along, and now only notices him. Everything about Chris pulls him in and holds him trapped like a fly caught in a spider's web. Even though it means imminent danger, he wants to be there. He wants to be pulled in by this exotic creature that fascinates him.

Staring into Chris' eyes that hold a prism of colors when he looks up at him and smiles, he knows that what they are doing is leading him down a path that could end up with him in love with his best friend.

Standing up off the couch an hour after they finished the ice cream, stretching his arms in a way that is more sexual so Darren will take notice, he grins when he looks over his shoulder and finds him staring. He noticed when he was lost in thought earlier, curious as to what he was thinking. But he thought it best not to ask. "Come on," he says as he turns around. "Let's go to bed."

"It's barely eight-thirty," Darren points out with a small laugh. "I'm not tired yet."

"No, Darren." Chris shakes his head as he bends down and places his hands on Darren's knees, staring into his eyes. "Let's go to bed," he reiterates with perfect clarity of each word. He notices when it clicks for Darren. Standing back up, watching him bounce right up off the couch, he chuckles as he takes his hand.

"Don't have to tell me twice," Darren says, smiling.

"Obviously, I do," Chris teases as he lets out an easy laugh and heads for the bedroom.


	7. Chapter 7

**Day Eight**

Lying on his side, facing Darren, sheet resting low around his naked hip with the morning sun spilling in and falling around them, warming their skin, Chris shivers as Darren ghosts his fingers down his side and over the curve of his hip.

It's nothing. Just the pass of fingers over skin. But, somehow, it's everything at the same time. Never before has a simple touch affected him as much as Darren's touch seems to. Never before has anybody he's been with hungered to learn him and every inch of who he is like Darren has. He roams fingers over every expanse of his skin, kisses and drags his lips over skin, buries his nose and breathes in the smell lingering all over him; a combination of vanilla and sweat and cum mixing with Darren's scent. This is the first time that Chris can think of someone being just as interested in all of him; in every inch of his body.

"I love your skin," Darren whispers as he scoots down and kisses at Chris' hipbone.

"It's the same one I was born with," Chris jokes, laughing along with Darren; threading his fingers through Darren's curls as he goes to work at the area of skin he just kissed, he releases a low moan.

Nipping and biting at the skin of Chris' hip, loving the sounds he's producing, he lifts his mouth and nuzzles his nose along Chris' thigh. Kissing at the soft skin, feeling strong muscles under his hand as he holds onto it, remembering how they felt wrapped around his waist the night before, Darren kisses his way back up the thigh, feeling his cock hard against his chin. All along, Chris' fingers thread through his hair.

Pulling back and looking up at Chris, seeing his eyes blown wide with lust and want, he chews his lower lip over if he should do what he wants to at the moment.

Of course he's never done it before, but how hard is it to go off experiences when it was done to him. Fuck, when Chris did it two days ago, and yesterday, it drove him crazy in a way it's never happened before when others did it. And he wants to do that for Chris. He wants to bring him pleasure with his mouth. It's all he can think about, now he's had the thought. It's all he's going to think about. And he figures now is better than going up to Chris while he cooks and asks "Hey, can I suck your cock because it's all I can think of?"

So, with a flutter of butterflies in his stomach due to nerves out of screwing up and doing it wrong or badly, he parts his lips and takes the head of Chris' cock into his mouth.

He's going to die. That's it. Right here, right now, he's going to die because Darren just took him into his mouth. _Fuck!_ His silky, hot, wet mouth that feels like fucking heaven right now. Yeah, he's going to die.

Gripping Darren's curls as he sucks and tongues at the head, whining and moaning, feeling like a fire is spreading through his veins, he watches as Darren takes more of him into his mouth.

Fingers grip his hip as Darren sucks, digging in hard enough to leave bruises. Gently rocking his hips forward, he doesn't do it again in case it's too much for Darren. But the squeeze of fingers on his hips is enough of a response for him to start doing it again. Looking down and watching as his cock moves past the red, wet lips of Darren's mouth, he can't believe this is actually happening.

Yeah, Darren fucking him is unbelievable in itself. But to have him sucking his cock like it's something he's wanted to do for some time; that surprises him. He never thought this would be something Darren would want, let alone be brave enough to do without so much as a hint of doubt or worry.

He's known Darren to jump into things head-first without much thought, hint them being here at this house. So, it's no surprise that he went ahead and did this without asking first. He figures he didn't want to be rejected. But, fuck, even if Darren were to have asked, he would have happily obliged. Just like right now.

Cupping the back of Darren's neck, still rocking his hips forward, gently fucking Darren's mouth as he sucks, he tips his head back and groans.

It's all so amazing. Darren's mouth doing wonders and creating a heat in his belly that spreads throughout him.

Fuck, he is beyond turned on at doing this right now. Having Chris in his mouth is better than he imagined.

His jaw is starting to hurt, he knows his lips will look swollen and red, and there is spit dribbling down his chin. But he couldn't care about all that. All he cares about is how he's making Chris release noises that make it perfectly clear he is doing something right.

Sucking at the head of Chris' cock, pressing his tongue flat to the underside of his cock, letting him rock his hips into him, Darren knows he could be up for doing this again.

Gripping Chris' hip, he takes him with him as he turns on to his back. Looking up at Chris as he kneels above him, no longer moving, he darts his tongue out and flicks it over the head of Chris' cock, seeing his eyes filled with worry.

"It's okay, Chris," he quietly encourages him. "I want you to."

"Are...are you sure?" Chris asks; Darren sees him tremble above him.

"Yes." He nods his head.

Shuffling his knees until he's more comfortable, cupping the back of Darren's neck again, seeing him tip his head back slightly, he leans down and gently pushes his cock past his already swollen lips.

Gripping the wood of the headboard with his other hand, hearing it barely creak as he tightens his hand hard to turn the knuckles white, Chris throws his head back as Darren goes back to sucking his cock as he slowly thrusts his hips down. Moaning, and not caring what he sounds like, he focuses on Darren's mouth, his lips wrapped around him, his tongue laving at the pre-come; he focuses on what is happening now.

Sighing as Darren grabs at his thighs, fingers pressing in hard, Chris looks down and locks his eyes on Darren's pleasure filled ones. Where he thought Darren might of had a problem with doing it this way, he can see he was totally wrong. He can tell by the way he eagerly opens his mouth for more, the way he is moaning and sighing around his cock, the way he looks like he's having the best time imaginable.

Feeling Chris' thigh muscles tremble and shake beneath his palms, Darren knows he has to be tired from holding his position for the amount of time he has.

This is crazy for him in the best way possible. Having Chris above him looking sexy as he sucks him off, as he in turns thrust into his mouth, Darren never thought he could be so turned on by the sight he has. Looking up to the sight of Chris' long, lean body, a trickle of sweat sliding down his chest, and his mouth open around a moan as he stares down at him and watches is making him want to reach down and wrap a hand around himself. But he focuses on Chris; focuses on getting him off.

Doubling his efforts to get Chris to come, he sucks harder and squeezes at his thighs, hoping he understands the gesture. Moaning as Chris picks up his pace, understanding, Darren starts to consider if he wants to swallow or not.

He's close. Fuck, he's close. The heat is pooling in his belly and starting to simmer under his skin. Right there. That's all he can think. Right there, and he can come.

But he isn't sure what Darren wants, or is ready, to do. Thrusting a few more times, he starts to move to pull out of Darren's mouth. But Darren's hands grabbing at his hips and pulling him back make it pretty known what he wants.

Knowing that. Knowing Darren wants him to come down his throat has him stopping for a second and letting go of the headboard. Leaning down and grabbing at Darren's curls with both hands, tilting his head back the slightest, he starts to thrust faster and harder.

_Fuck!_ Chris' hands in his hair, and having him use his mouth to get off, he sucks and moans around Chris' cock, wanting to feel him come down his throat.

Thrusting hard, stuttering his hips once more, Chris throws his head back, arching his back, and cries out as he comes. Moaning as he comes down Darren's throat, feeling him swallow as he pulses into his mouth, Chris whines low in his throat as he sucks him through his orgasm.

Watching Chris as he comes, bowing and arching his back, crying out in pleasure, is a sight alone that almost has him coming himself.

The taste of Chris on his tongue is different than he thought. It's not a bad taste, one he could easily come to enjoy more than he does now.

Swallowing around him one final time, Darren feels as Chris pulls out of him, hearing him drop backwards on the bed in a sigh of pleasure.

That's it. He's dead. He's died and gone to heaven. He can see the headline now: "Man dies from orgasm." But he can think of worse ways to die.

Smiling as he catches his breath, he stares up at Darren when he hovers over him. Looking at his extremely red and swollen lips, feeling his cock give a twitch of interest when he licks them, Chris pulls him down into a kiss.

"That was amazing," he says against Darren's lips between kisses. "Absolutely amazing."

"I gave it my best," Darren chuckles, voice sounding wrecked and scratchy.

Chris smiles against his mouth, moaning when he feels Darren hard against his hip. "Want me to take care of that?" Figuring it's only polite since Darren just gave him one of the best blowjobs known to man.

"I'm okay for now," Darren tells him.

Grabbing him and turning him onto his back, Chris hovers over him and grins down at him. "I think I should repay you." Giving him a hungry kiss, he makes his way down Darren's body, intending to give as good as he got.

Draining half the glass of orange juice, Darren goes back to eating the omelet Chris made him.

He's starving. After last night and this morning, he's worked up quite the appetite.

Thinking about this morning has him grinning at how great it was.

Not once in a million years did he ever think that doing something like that would turn him on and take him by surprise by how much he wanted it. Remembering how Chris felt on his tongue, heavy and hot and soft skin and hard, biting his lip at the memory to hold back the laugh wanting to escape past his lips, he's positive he could do that again with Chris. He's not sure what it is about Chris, but he's drawing him in and making him want to do things he would have never considered before.

When he was with his past girlfriends, he never strayed to far when it came to the sex life he had with them. Vanilla is exactly the word he would put to it. More like a normal with a dash of fun and excitement ever now and then. While he was with them, he never thought it was boring or lacked spice, it was good between them. But now with Chris, spice in his sex life is something he can easily welcome with open arms. Maybe it's just now realizing he enjoys different things, or maybe it's because he's with Chris. Whatever the reason, he's quickly learning to enjoy the wild and crazy thing Chris and he are doing together.

Just yesterday on the couch was something that had excitement and thrill coursing through him at knowing that any second they could be seen. Where he thought he would hate it, he didn't. And he's pretty sure because it was with Chris he was doing it with.

"What's with the grin?" Chris asks him as he playfully nudges his shoulder.

"Oh, um...thinking about this morning," he shyly admits.

Hearing Darren's answer, hearing his voice filled with delight, Chris is surprised to see clearly written on his face how much he enjoyed what they did this morning. Here he is, with someone who's never had these thoughts and urges less than two weeks ago, and to have Darren acting on them is amazing in itself. But then to have him doing something some guys would never try, let alone consider, is mind-boggling to him.

"Can I ask where that came from?" Chris speaks, voice low. "Because it's, kind of, something I never thought you would do or like."

"Well...I wanted to have you in my mouth after the first time you did it to me," Darren admits with no qualms; obviously not the least embarrassed by what they did. "And that was amazing alone. But...but then the thought of having you do that was so fucking...hot and erotic in my mind that I wanted it." Chris sees the honesty in Darren's eyes while he talks to him. "Why? Did you think I wouldn't do something like that?"

"Yes," Chris is quick to answer, nodding his head and letting out small laugh. "You've just dipped your toe into this new kind of sex with another guy. So, yeah, I'm surprised when you kind of dived in without a worry."

"I like diving with you," Darren whispers right before kissing him, making Chris chuckle.

"You're crazy." He wraps his fingers around Darren's neck and deepens the kiss.

"Only because you make me crazy."

Smiling against Darren's mouth, Chris kisses him for several more seconds before pulling away. "I'm gonna clean the dishes," he says before placing a quick peck to Darren's lips.

Standing up and taking the dirty dishes to the sink, Chris shakes his head and smiles at how he is experiencing a whole new side to Darren.

Stepping up and standing behind Chris, gently running his fingers under his shirt and over the skin of his stomach, noticing the slight tremble that runs through him, he presses his mouth to Chris' neck, right below his ear, in a lite kiss. "How's the ankle?" he asks as he slides his hand down and toys with the waistband of the boxers Chris is wearing.

Having someone this close and simply gliding their fingers over his skin isn't supposed to turn him on. But goddamn if Chris doesn't find himself completely turned on and alert to every little thing Darren is doing. The brush of fingers over his stomach, the press of lips to his skin, and the rhythmic stroking over his hip all have him pulling his lower lip between his teeth and closing his eyes as he holds back a moan. It's so easy for him, now, to get lost in being touched in a way that has him filled with want and desire.

Opening his eyes after a few moments, he only then remembers that Darren asked him something.

"Good," he finally answers. "Doesn't hurt anymore."

"Good," Darren whispers into his ear. "Because I've been thinking."

"That's never a good thing," Chris teases.

"Haha. Very funny," Darren says with a chuckle. "But how do you feel about a walk down the beach?"

"Sounds like fun." Turning around and facing Darren, wrapping his arms around his waist, he slips his hands under his shirt and feels warm skin and hard muscle under his palms.

"Well then," Darren says, leaning closer to Chris and nuzzling his nose along the curve of his neck, breathing in the scent of vanilla on his skin. "Guess we should change."

"You would be right." He hears Chris moan when he lightly nips at the scar on his neck, knowing how sensitive that area is.

Pulling away and giving him a quick kiss, he takes his hand and heads to where their rooms are. Stopping in front of Chris' room, he tells him he'll meet him on the deck after he changes. Walking to his room, looking back at Chris once, catching him staring, he pulls a simple button up shirt and some khaki shorts on.

Walking along next to Darren on the beach after changing, feet sinking into sand with each step he takes, waves loud as they crash right next to them, sea gulls squawking in the sky above them, Chris keeps his hands in his pockets to keep from reaching out and taking Darren's hand. To know that such a simple gesture could make him so happy at the moment, and that he can't do just that, is terrible for him. But, he knows it's all for the best that they keep this to where no one can catch them and start to suspect something.

"Not too many people on the beach," Darren points out as he kicks at some rocks in the sand.

Looking around, and only seeing two or three people, one of them in the water surfing the waves, Chris realizes he is right. "Guess people had something else to do today," he says, feeling as the water reaches up high enough on shore to cover their feet. "Still nice, though."

"Yeah."

Walking along, Chris gets confused when Darren suddenly stops and bends down to grab something. Seeing a look of happiness cross his face, watching him walk a few feet into the water until it's up around right above his ankles, he watches as he looks down and then starts grabbing something from the water. He holds them in one hand as he picks them up with another, having no clue as to what they are.

"What is that?" he calls to him and asks in curiosity. Going when Darren waves him over to his side, he stops and stands next to him, purposely brushing his hand next to his and loving when Darren throws him a smile.

"Look," Darren excitedly says, showing Chris what he found, laughing at his confused face. "Aren't they beautiful?"

"They're rocks," Chris says in a dead-pan voice.

"They're not rocks." Darren grabs Chris' hand and turns it up, dropping the pieces of different color glasses into his cupped hand. "They're sea glass. Quiet extraordinary when you think about how long it takes to get like this."

"What?" He sees Chris grab one of the pieces of sea glass and hold up to the sky, examining it, the sun shining through the glass and having dark green reflect on his face. "It looks like a rock."

"They look like rocks, but they're glass." Grabbing a dark blue sea glass, Darren uses it to explain to Chris. "When a bottle is thrown into the ocean and breaks, the pieces of glass sink and lay in the sand. The movement of the water, and waves, make the glass tumble and rub against the sand. And after years and years, the glass ends up like this. It's worn down and smoothed around all the edges and given a frosted look."

Hearing how much Darren is enjoying this, excitement dripping from his voice, and eyes filled with joy, Chris finds the whole thing cute. To find out something as simple as a piece of colorful glass could excite Darren as much as this makes him chuckle. "How do you know this?" he asks as he gives the pieces back to Darren.

"I couldn't sleep one night and watched tv," Darren nonchalantly explains as he shrugs his shoulders.

Standing there, staring at Darren, who has a childish smile on his face, the warm water lapping around their ankles, the wind cool as it brushes across their skin, the sun warm as it shines down on them, Chris chuckles to himself at being head over heels crazy for someone as fun and surprising as Darren. "You're such a nerd," he jokes, laughing and smiling so Darren knows he's only teasing.

"Hey," Darren says. "I learn some interesting stuff when I can't sleep."

"Apparently," Chris chuckles as he watches Darren drop all but one of the sea glasses back into the water. "You're not keeping more?"

"Nah. Only need the one."

"For what?"

"It's a surprise." Darren wickedly grins at him, arching an eyebrow in delight.

"Whatever you say," Chris playfully retorts. "Come on. Let's head back to the house."

"Alright." He goes with Darren as they walk back up to the edge of the water. "You're ankle didn't act up?"

"Nope," Chris replies, minutely shaking his head. "Feels like before I played volleyball."

"So, no permanent damage?"

"None."

Stopping after walking back, feeling the cool water break around his ankles as he stands there and stares at Darren, the urge to kiss him is great.

"Why are we stopped?" Darren asks him with a chuckle, fidgeting with the piece of sea glass in his hand.

"I really want to kiss you right now," Chris admits to him.

"I really want to kiss you too." Keeping his eyes on Darren as he looks at him, smile playing on his lips, putting the glass away in his pocket. He puts his hands on his hips and slightly cocks his head to the side. "So," he says. "Why aren't we kissing?"

"We can't," Chris answers him. "Someone might see."

"You kissed me two days ago when someone could have seen," Darren reminds him, arching his eyebrow.

"That's not the same." Chris minutely shakes his head. "I wasn't thinking clearly. All I could think about was kissing you."

"Just like now?"

"Just like now," Chris repeats with a small laugh.

"So, what's the difference?"

"I'm not as in a fog of want and need."

"But you're in a fog?"

Nodding his head, Chris closing his eyes and sighs when Darren leans over and presses a featherlight kiss over his pulse point on his neck. Fighting with everything he has to not reach out and grab ahold of him, and crash their mouths together, he bites his lip and lowly moans at how the simple contact has him crazy with desire.

"I guess we should finish walking back to the house," Darren whispers in his ear. "That way you can kiss me all you want."

Seeing Chris open his eyes when he pulls away, noticing the want in them, the same want that swims through him, Darren grins at him and starts to walk again. With Chris walking closely next to him, close enough their arms brush, sending electric jolts up his arm at the contact, he listens to the sounds of the beach. The sound of waves crashing to shore is calming and soothing combined with the sound of the air makes as it blows around them.

He can't remember the last time he went on a vacation and it wasn't as calming as this. When usually vacationing, although he would more likely call it extended work, a big city was always his destination. The sounds of city life made it impossible to find peace and comfort in a way being at this beach house does. Being here is relaxing in a way a vacation is supposed to be.

Looking to Chris, seeing him chewing his lower lip out of something to keep his mind off kissing him, he guesses, he has an urge to pull him close and suck on that lower lip right there on the beach where anyone could see. Debating with himself if he should do that, he suddenly hears the crack of thunder breaking across the sky. Looking up and seeing dark grey clouds come in from nowhere, he has no time to think before the sky is opening up and rain falls down around him and Chris.

Not thinking, or caring, he takes Chris' hand and runs for the house still several yards away. Feet sinking deep into the wet sand making it harder to run, getting wetter by the second, he is grateful when they reach the deck of the house.

Stopping under the roof of the deck, looking to Chris who is breathing heavy and completely soaked, catching his eyes, they both bust out laughing. "Guess that explains the almost empty beach," he comments, still trying to catch his breath.

"Perhaps we should have checked the weather before going out," Chris replies, no longer laughing but still smiling.

Looking out at as the rain falls, seeing how the water of the ocean ripples with the rain downpour, he breathes in the smell of rain coating the air. Turning back to Chris, smile on his lips, he looks at him and something just changes. The way his striking eyes stand out against his pale skin, strands of his hair sticking to his forehead, wet clothes clinging to his skin and perfectly showing off his long, lean body, Darren has to have him close. Pulling him close and frantically kissing him, delving his tongue into Chris' mouth when he parts his lips that taste of rain and cherries from his Chapstick, he presses as close to him as possible. Roaming his hands over his body, met with a bit of resistance because of his wet shirt, he slides his hand underneath, feeling warm, damp skin under his palm. Grabbing at Chris' ass with his other hand, squeezing the soft flesh through wet material, he feels as Chris wraps one arm around his neck and grabs at his ass with the other.

"In-...inside," Chris pants against his lips.

Stepping to the sliding door as they try to keep their hands on each other, Darren finally manages to get it open after a few seconds. Stumbling inside, closing the door behind him, he turns them around and presses Chris up against the glass.

The air makes cool on his wet skin as he is pressed to the cold glass and kissed. But those aren't the reasons he's shivering. Darren's mouth on him as he kisses along his neck and down his chest make him tremble and shake with a deep want. Pushing off the glass, capturing Darren's soft lips in a hungry kiss, he claws at his clothes to get them off.

The next few minutes are spent peeling wet, clinging clothes from overheated skin out of excitement. Kissing and walking, although he would say stumbling, to the couch naked, he breaks the kiss and moves to lie back on the couch.

Staring at the expanse of creamy, pale skin with a slight flush to it standing out against the dark of the couch has desire only growing in Darren. Eyes stare up at him filled with want, red lips are stretched into a grin like Chris knows what he is causing in him, and long legs slightly part in invitation. It's then, he realizes, he could stare at Chris like this forever and never need anybody else.

It's still so surreal to him to look at someone that was just his best friend not too long ago, and now see him as someone he could see himself in a long term relationship with.

Outside, right behind him, thunder cracks across the sky again, and Darren is pretty sure the most beautiful and astounding thing could be happening but all he would still notice is Chris right here in front of him waiting for him. Lightning flashes across the sky, illuminating the dark room for a few a split second, but long enough for Darren to see the beauty of Chris' eyes as he stares up at him.

Watching as Darren stares at him like he's the last great thing on this Earth, Chris blushes at seeing how much he is affecting him. Sliding his foot along the side of his thigh, trying to bring him out of his thoughts, he notices when he fully comes back to himself. "I don't mind you staring," he says. "But I was hoping we were gonna do more than that." Chuckling when Darren smirks down at him, he moans when he bends down and kisses him. But all too soon he is pulling away and standing back up.

Sitting up and bracing himself on his elbows, he watches in confusion as Darren starts to walk away. "Where you going?" he calls to him.

"We need supplies," Darren yells as he leaves the living room.

Falling back on the couch, Chris listens to the rain as it pelts the glass, excitement only growing by the second at waiting for Darren to return and fuck him.

Thinking about how Darren looked at him, made him feel like the most forego us thing to walk this planet, he sighs at realizing no other guy he's been with has made him feel that. Yeah, he sometimes felt special and like he was the most important thing in their lives. But not all the time. Which is what he feels with Darren. In the past two days, he has caught a quick glimpse of him staring at any moment and seen the complete adoration and joy in his eyes. He's seen him always look at him like he is the most precious gift he's ever been given. And he has to admit, he loves it. He loves knowing Darren sees just as he sees Darren. Because, for him, Darren will always be that rare gift he never thought he would get.

Smiling at Darren when he stands in front of him again, he wants him more than ever.

"Up," he softly commands Chris as he gently taps his hip. Laying a towel under him when he raises his hips, not in the mood to clean stains from a couch, he gently pushes his hips back to the couch cushion.

Popping the cap of the lube, squeezing some onto his fingers, noticing Chris part his thighs as he does this, he holds back the moan at the sight of Chris so willing and ready for him. Reaching between his legs, circling his entrance a few times, he pushes in with the first finger.

He will never get over how Chris feels around his fingers. The silkiness and heat and tightness is unlike any other feeling he's felt before. Yeah, there was something close, but with Chris it's exemplified by a hundred. Slowly working his fingers in that heat, being gentle like Chris is with him, he listens to the noises of pleasure that fall from Chris' mouth. The breathy moans, the sighs and whimpers, and the whines and pleads for more, he can't help but feel pride at knowing he's causing that. Softly brushing Chris' prostate when he drags the three fingers out, before gently thrusting them back in, he sees him arch his back and cry out for him.

It feels as if liquid fire runs through his veins. He can feel nothing but heat and pleasure all through his body. Darren's fingers in him are driving him crazy. He's pretty sure at this point he could come on his fingers alone. But he doesn't want that. He wants Darren inside him; filling him up where he feels empty.

"Please," he begs, voice low and dripping with want. "Please...Inside." Arching his back when Darren brushes his prostate again, he claws at the cushion of the couch to, trying to focus on anything but Darren's fingers and how amazing they feel.

Fighting to keep from working his hips down, wanting so desperately to do that until he comes, he feels relief when Darren pulls his fingers away. Relief because he knows what's coming next. Breathing heavy and watching Darren slick himself up, a flash of lightening breaking across the sky behind him, he swims with desire and want and need.

Situating himself between Chris' legs after prepping himself, seeing how dark his eyes are, noticing the pupils blown wide enough for barely any color of his iris' to be seen. Planting one hand on the side of Chris' head, feeling him lift a leg and hook it over his hip, he reaches down and lines himself up.

Slowly pushing into the heat and tightness of Chris' body, seeing him tilt his head back and moan. Dropping his head to Chris' shoulder and having to breathe before he comes, he still can't get over how perfect Chris feels around his cock. The feeling of him around his fingers, although amazing in itself, is nothing compared to this. The tightness of muscles he pushes past, the silkiness of it all, and how perfectly he fits inside Chris, as if they are two halves of a whole meant to be together.

Breathing, and trying to calm down and pull back from that edge he doesn't want to fall over just yet when his hips hit the swell of Chris' ass, he listens to the rain to distract himself. The rhythmic stroking of Chris' fingers along his spine send small shivers through him, making it a bit difficult to stay still.

"I've never had sex while it rained," Chris says out of nowhere; Darren can hear the smile on his lips. "It always seemed romantic to me, though."

"Is it living up to your expectations so far?" he asks as he lifts his head and looks down at Chris.

"So far," Chris replies with a small giggle.

Leaning down and taking Chris' lips in a tender kiss, Darren gently rocks his hips forward, causing Chris to moan into his mouth. Breathing when Chris breaks the kiss and throws his head back, clutching at his back, lifting his other leg to hook over his hip, he starts to move in him.

The sensation alone of Darren working his cock in and out of his body is enough to drive him crazy. But that combined with how torturously slow he is going at the moment is only adding fuel to the fire in his body. Pressing the heel of one his feet to Darren's lower back, trying to get him closer, he lifts his hips up as Darren gently thrust into him.

It's like that for awhile. The slowness; experiencing the build of heat and pleasure in his body. Outside rain continues to fall, hitting the glass and making noises that mix with the ones Darren and he are making as they slowly have sex. Going at that pace has a thin sheen of sweat on both their bodies, both of them breathe heavy, and Chris can feel Darren's erratic heartbeat when he leans down and kisses him, their chests pressing close.

It's great. The slow build is something he is loving. But Chris wants more. He wants deep, hard thrusts he will still feel after they are finished.

Locking his eyes on Darren's as he slowly thrust into him, sending a sizzle of sparks up his spine, he knows he needs to tell him what he wants. "I want you to fuck me, Darren," he says with a sureness to his voice. "Stop holding back."

At hearing those words, seeing just how much Chris wants and needs that, he stops his movements, much to Chris' protest. Planting one hand on the side of Chris' head, gripping his hip with the other, he digs one knee into the cushion of the couch and plants his other foot to the floor for leverage. Snapping his hips forward hard, burying himself deep inside Chris, he grins when that causes him to throw his head back and release a loud noise between a moan and whimper. Doing it again and again and again, feeling Chris dig his nails into his back, he leans down and kisses his red and kiss-swollen lips. Swallowing the moan he releases when he snaps his hips forward again, feeling him trembling beneath him, he stops to change the angle of his hips.

He's pretty sure he is on fire with how much white, hot pleasure runs through him after Darren snaps his hips forward and hits his prostate. Feeling his fingers digging in deep enough at his hip to leave marks, Chris only focuses on Darren fucking him like there's no tomorrow. Inside, he can feel everything building to his release. He can feel how close to all this being over.

Reaching down and wrapping a hand around his cock, stroking himself as Darren continues to pound into him. Nodding his head, weakly whimpering, when Darren whispers into his ear and asks if he's close, he clutches at his back with his other hand as he notices Darren look down and watch the movement of his hand.

It's quite possibly the sexiest thing he's ever seen. And he's seen a lot. But watching as Chris strokes his hand up and down his cock, trying to reach his release, he can't look away. It turns him on; has him wanting to watch as Chris touches himself as he sits there. It has him stopping for a few seconds just to take in the sight.

Thumbing at the head of his cock, not caring that Darren has stopped moving, although still feeling him inside him, Chris arches his back, and just like the thunder breaking across the sky, he cries out Darren's name as he breaks himself and comes. He hotly spills over his fist, costing his belly, and managing to get some on Darren.

The feeling of Chris sporadically clenching around him has Darren starting to move his hips again. Feeling how close he is, he snaps his hips forward half a dozen more times and spills inside Chris. Burying his face in the curve of Chris' neck, he muffles his moans as he rides out his orgasm.

Pleasure thrums under his skin and burns like a fire. It courses through him and makes him feel like he's floating. Clutching to Darren to stay grounded, Chris catches his breath. Lying there with Darren on top of him, and still in him, legs still hooked over his hips, he wonders just how long they can stay like that. If it was forever, he would have no problem.

Letting out a small sigh when Darren does pull out, instantly feeling empty, he smiles when Darren lies down next to him.

Staring into his illuminating eyes, tracing a finger over his lips, and not caring about the mess, Chris holds Darren close to him.

Nuzzling his nose along the column of Chris' neck, he breathes in the scents mixing on his skin. "You smell good," he mumbles against his skin.

"What do I smell like?" Chris asks him.

"Like a mixture of vanilla and sweat and sex and rain," he replies. Breathing in the smell, again, Darren feels his cock give a twitch of interest, not surprised he's being turned on by Chris' smell. "It's intoxicating."

"To you," Chris jokes. "But to me it just means I need a shower."

Stopping Chris when he moves to get up, holding him down by climbing on top of him and straddling his hips and placing his hands on his shoulders, he grins down at him. "Let's stay like this for awhile," he says as he lightly traces a finger from Chris' puffy lips down to his navel, feeling his stomach jump beneath his hand.

"Why would I do that?" Chris asks in interest, raising an eyebrow and giving him a look that says he better have a good suggestion for him not to shower right now.

"Because," Darren softly says as he gently circles one of Chris' nipples with his thumb. "That way when you fuck me, we don't waste water by taking a second shower."

"I guess I can be okay with that," Chris tells him, pretending to hate the suggestion, and playfully rolling his eyes.

"Of course you would be." Leaning down and burying his nose in the curve of Chris' neck, Darren smiles and carefully lowers himself down on top of Chris' body. Lying there, heart beat slowly calming down, listening to the rain and thunder mixing with the soft breaths Chris' releases, he has no desire to move from this spot; and wonders just how long he can stay there.

Waking up when an ache in his neck bothers him, slowly blinking his eyes open to a small fire burning in the fireplace close to him, Darren's arm draped over his side, him softly snoring behind him, and an twinge of pain in his ass when he moves, he remembers the few hours before. After Darren fucked him like he wanted on the couch, they cleaned up and took a short nap. An hour and a half later he had Darren on his hands and knees on the floor as he gave as good as he got, although the carpet burn sucked. Afterwards, they fell on a heap to the floor, and he figures somewhere in there he dozed off.

Turning to face Darren, shadows from the fire dancing across his face, he chuckles as he realizes Darren made sure they had pillows but didn't use anything to cover them. Lying there completely naked and uncovered, and enjoying it, Chris leans over and presses kisses all over Darren's face to wake him up. Smiling when he hears him groan, turning onto his back, he snuggles close to his side, resting his chin on his shoulder. "Hi, sleepyhead," he teases when Darren slowly blinks his eyes open.

"What time is it?" Darren asks him with a slightly hoarse voice.

"I don't know." Lifting his head to look out the glass walls, Chris sees a clear sky that is streaked with reds and pinks and oranges, guessing it to be around six or seven. "But it stopped raining," he announces.

"That's good," Darren mumbles, splaying his hand over Chris' lower back.

"Dare, can I ask you something?" Chris sees as Darren's lips twitch with a small smile, but seeing him nod his head. "When we fell asleep, why didn't you cover us up?"

"Too hot," Darren responds, sounding like that should have been obvious. "Didn't need it."

"What's with the fire then?" Chris tilts his head toward the fire burning near them. "Doesn't make sense."

"Didn't want you to get too cold." Darren smiles up at him. "Plus, I thought it would add to your whole having sex during a rain storm fantasy...thing you had. A fire burning during a rain storm is romantic."

"Tis true," Chris cheekily and playfully replies. "Plus, it's not a fantasy anymore considering we fulfilled it. Although, I wouldn't really count it as a fantasy in the first place. I just always thought it would be great, and romantic, to have sex during a rain storm."

"So, was it great and romantic like you thought it would be?"

"Better," he replies to Darren. Leaning over, he gives him a deep and sensual kiss, feeling how quickly it's turning to more. "So, thank you," he breathlessly says when he ends the kiss before he finds himself with carpet burn on his back.

"I like it, by the way," Darren says out of nowhere, confusing him.

"Like what?" he asks, wondering what it is he's talking about.

"That nickname. Haven't been called that in years; never really cared for it." Staring into his eyes, seeing flames of fire reflected in them, Chris can't help but to think how stunning that image is. "But I like how it sounds when you say it. It sounds...right."

"Good to know." Moving to stand, he stretches his arms over his head, hearing a moan from Darren behind him. A smile spreads across his face at knowing how much he affects him. "I'm gonna go take a shower," he says as he turns around.

"No." Grabbing around Chris' ankle, he sits up and starts to kiss up his leg. Little kisses that are placed on his thigh and over his hipbone as he moves to kneel. Chris' fingers in his hair lightly tug as he releases small whimpers. But Darren continues to kiss his skin, placing small kisses right below his bellybutton. "You should stay here with me," he says as he sits back on his calves, pulling Chris onto his lap.

Chris' lips on his are hungry and desperate; the kiss all tongue and teeth. Splaying his hands over his back, feeling the warmth there from the fire, Darren moans as Chris thrust his tongue into his mouth. Holding him tight so he doesn't move, he maneuvers his legs so they are out in front of him, making it more comfortable. Feeling Chris wrap his legs around his waist, crossing his ankles at his lower back, Darren grins at knowing where this is headed.

"I'm not having sex with you," Chris mumbles against his lips, as if knowing what he was thinking. "So, you can forget it."

"Why not?" He only sees this as an excuse to double his efforts to get Chris to change his mind. Kissing his way down Chris' neck and across his collarbone, he slides his mouth down and captures one of his dusty pink nipples between his lips. Flicking his tongue over the hardened nub, and lightly sucking, he feels as Chris trembles above him.

"Be...Because I really need a shower right now," Chris says as he releases a small moan.

Moving his mouth off Chris' nipple, Darren buries his nose in the curve of his neck. Breathing in the same smell from earlier, he finds it just as intoxicating now as it was a few hours ago when he was in a haze after his orgasm. "You smell fine," he tells Chris.

Chris chuckles. "To you, maybe. But I don't like it. Plus, I'm kind of sticky and gross; the fire made me sweat and...Yeah, I'm just in desperate need of a hot shower right now."

Finding Chris cute as he explains his need for a shower, Darren gives him a sweet, tender kiss. "Go take your shower," he tells him as he nuzzles his nose along his cheek. "I'll take my own."

"Thank you." Giving Darren a kiss right before he leaves, for the tiniest of moments, Chris considers staying and continuing what they were doing. But standing up and walking away, he knows a shower is what he needs most.

As he walks, he can feel Darren's eyes on him the whole time, and that makes him blush, to know he is being looked at with interest and desire and want. Knowing Darren is staring at him makes him feel special.

By the time he is stepping out of the shower, feeling a hundred percent better, and all fresh and clean, he pulls on some boxers and a loose fitting cotton shirt. Running his fingers through his damp hair to fix it, he walks out to the room and out to the living room.

Picking up Darren and his dirty, wet clothes, and the towel they used, he walks to the laundry room and throws them in the wash. By the time he walks back to the living room, he smiles at seeing Darren freshly showered. Going up to him and kissing him, feeling arms wrap around his waist and pull him close, he melts into Darren's touch. Something about being held this close, and tightly, to Darren, to his strong, hard body, has Chris feeling safe and warm and like he is...home.

"How about dinner?" he asks when he pulls away, staring into Darren's eyes that remind him of the pieces of sea glass he held, so many different colors all mixed together to create something beautiful.

"Yes." Darren nods his head. "Because I'm starved."

"Let's see what we can make."

After a dinner that consisted of Chicken Alfredo, heading to the bedroom, Chris walks with his arms around Darren's waist and head resting on his chest. Darren's arm around him, thumb stroking over his hipbone, sends sparks of pleasure and want through him; seemingly setting his skin on fire. Stopping and stepping in front of Darren, grinning at him, he grabs a handful of his shirt and pulls him to him. Taking his mouth in a hungry kiss, thrusting his tongue into his mouth, he moans when Darren grabs his ass and pushes him flush to his body.

Fuck, Chris sure does know how to surprise him. Just when he thought their night was coming to an end, and sleep was what they were going to be doing for the next several hours, he goes and does this. Pushing him up against a wall, grinding his hips into Chris just enough to have him moaning into his mouth, Darren smiles as he pulls back and stares at Chris. Watching as he licks his lower lip, then pulling it between his teeth to chew on it, he delves back in for another kiss.

Grabbing under his thigh, lifting his leg to wrap around his waist, feeling him do the same with the other, he holds onto Chris tight and pushes off the wall. "Now…What is it you could possibly want?" he jokingly asks as he watches Chris lift his shirt over his head and drop it to the floor.

Arms wrap around his neck and Chris smirks at him as he leans close enough that their lips brush when he speaks, lust filled eyes staring into his own. "I think you'll figure that one out real quick," Chris whispers against his lips right before kissing him.

Continuing to stare into Chris' luminous eyes, walking into the bedroom, carefully laying Chris on the bed and climbing up on top and hovering over him, he smiles down at him. Turning into his hand when he cups his face, kissing the soft skin of his wrist, Darren leans down and starts to kiss his way down Chris' chest.

Threading his fingers through Darren's curls, softly moaning and arching up into every kiss he places on his body, Chris tips his head back and sighs when Darren starts to tug his boxers off his hips. The press of kisses up his leg and over his inner thigh, and back up his body, every inch of his skin given attention to, makes his heart race. He smiles up at Darren when he looks at him. "Hey, stranger," he whispers.

"Hey, cowboy," Darren replies; leaning down, he captures Chris' mouth in a sweet and tender kiss.


	8. Chapter 8

Lying on his stomach, arms wrapped around the pillow under his head, blanket resting low around his calves, kicked down during the hot night, Darren watches Chris as he lies on his back and sleeps. Even, quiet breaths pass his partially parted lips that are pink and tempting him to lean over and kiss them. His chest rises and falls with every breath he takes. And it's right then and there, watching Chris peacefully sleep, that Darren realizes he's fallen hard for the man in this bed. It's not love, though it's close to verging on it. All it took was eight days and everything changed for him.

_Eight days!_ he thinks as he continues to gaze at Chris.

Eight days and his world tilted in a way he never expected. Everything that was once clear and easy to understand seems fuzzy and unimportant. None of what mattered eight days ago doesn't matter now. He doesn't care about the girl whose number he received he was planning to call. He doesn't care about hanging out with friends to pick somebody up. None of that matters.

Why worry about someone else unimportant when he has what he wants and needs less than a few inches from him looking gorgeous as he sleeps.

Reaching over and ghosting his fingers up Chris' chest, smiling when he reacts to the touch by shifting, he grazes his fingers up his neck and to his mouth. Lightly tracing his soft lips with his forefinger, feeling Chris' warm breath as he breathes out, remembering how they felt pressing kisses all over his body, he scoots closer and props his head up on his arm. Looking down at Chris as he turns his head and sighs, still sleeping, Darren sees as the morning sun perfectly shows off the many freckles dotted over Chris' face that he never really took into notice before then.

Touching his fingertip to one, he softly drags it along Chris' skin as he traces a random pattern on his face. From freckle to freckle, Darren wonders how long it would take for him to kiss every freckle on Chris' face.

Smiling when Chris tries to bat his hand away in his sleep, quickly averting his hit, he leans down and barely brushes his lips to Chris' in a soft kiss. Placing ghost of kisses along his cheek, he stops by his ear and whispers, "Wake up, Chris."

Fluttering his eyes open, the bright sun immediately making him squint, Chris looks up at Darren as he gazes down at him with a warmth flooding his eyes. The rhythmic stroking of his thumb back and forth on his chest, making his heart beat wildly in his chest, wondering if Darren can feel it under his hand, he smiles up at him.

"You better have a good reason for waking me up," he playfully chastises him.

"I have a great reason."

Feeling as Darren slides his hand down his stomach and stops right below his bellybutton and strokes his thumb over the skin. Playfully rolling his eyes, he lets out a small laugh. "I'm not surprised that is the reason," he says as he reaches down and takes Darren's hand, interlacing their fingers.

"What?...Oh, that's not the reason," Darren replies as he smiles, small blush creeping up his neck. "Although, if you want to later, we can."

"Do you even have to ask?" Chris grabs behind Darren's neck and brings him down into a kiss.

"Mmm," Darren moans, pulling away. "Apparently not. But that's not what I was referring to."

"What is it then?"

"I've been thinking," Darren tells him. Chris arches an eyebrow and gives him a look that says what he thinks about those words. "Yeah, yeah," Darren chuckles. "It's never a good idea when I do that. But this time is different."

"How so?" Chris curiously asks.

"I think we should stay a bit longer." Darren stares at him with a small smile on his lips and hope in his eyes.

"Why?" he quietly asks.

"You know why," Darren tells him.

Extending on this stay at the house is something Chris would love; it's something he wants to so desperately to agree to. But he knows it wouldn't be a good thing. They've already crossed a line just by doing this, and extending on their stay would only cause feelings he's pushed deep down inside him to burst free and take over. He doesn't want the possibility of falling even more for Darren knowing they would leave this place as they came: as best friends.

"I don't think that would be a good idea," he tells Darren, seeing his face drop instantly. Smile disappearing and the light dimming in his eyes, seeing a hurt replacing it, Chris wishes then he could have told him the answer they both wanted.

"Why?" Darren asks him with a voice filled with sadness.

"Because-Because...this shouldn't have even happened."

"Do you regret this?" Darren suddenly asks, Chris seeing the worry take over his face as he moves away from him.

"No!" He is quick to tell him, scooting back to him, needing him close, and brushing his nose along Darren's cheek. "No," he softly reiterates in his ear. "I will never regret this."

"What do you mean then?"

Pulling back just enough to stare into Darren's eyes, smiling at him so he knows he's happy right here, he softly runs his thumb along Darren's plump lower lip. "This changes things between us," he tells him. "We leave this place and go back home knowing more about each other in ways many friends never do. Doing what we did these past few days already pushed us past just being friends. We know each other intimately now, and that...that will make it difficult to just be your friend again. And…and staying here risks us going further than we should; developing feelings that would make it difficult," he says that even though he's had feelings for Darren for some time; even though in these past days those feelings have deepened even more. "But I'm gonna do it because I need you in my life in any way I can have you. Even if it's just as my friend."

"Then let's do this," Darren tells him with a hint of enthusiasm to his voice. "Let's try this beyond the few days here. Let's not be just the friends we are when we go back."

Sitting up and throwing his legs over the side of the bed, not able to look at Darren when he says what he has to, he looks down at his hands in his lap. "No," he says, trying to speak with a firm voice, but hearing it tremble the slightest. "We agreed to only be great together for these few days. This can't go beyond this house. It's for the best."

"Best for you? Or best for me?"

He can hear the slight anger and frustration in Darren's voice as he talks, and he doesn't blame him. At this moment, he hates himself for refusing the one thing he's wanted and longed after for years. But it's best, like he told Darren, that that relationship doesn't happen.

Staring at his back as he sits on the edge of the bed, skin glowing as the sun falls around him, knobs of his spine visible down his back, Darren wants to reach out and skim his fingers down Chris' spine. He wants to feel him shudder if he were to do that; wants to pull him back to him and kiss every inch of his skin. But he can't right now.

At this moment he wants to burrow under the blankets and hide away for a few hours. It seems like a great plan, and he's tempted to do just that, because the first guy he wants more from doesn't want it from him.

Hearing Chris rejecting him hurt more than he thought it would...Hell, he didn't even think he would get rejected. Based off these past several days, and how happy Chris seemed, he thought he would have an armful of an ecstatic Chris eagerly agreeing to his proposal. Instead, Chris sits on the edge of the bed as he lies there looking at him, more space between them than there has been in the last few days. And he hates it. He hates not having Chris close; not having him lying in his arms and being completely happy looking like he's been the other mornings they've woken up together.

Sitting up, one hand planted to the bed for support, he looks into Chris' tear filled eyes when he looks over his shoulder at him.

"Trust me, Dare," he quietly tells him. "It's just for the best."

That sight alone has him scrambling to pull Chris to him and into his lap. Bringing him close to him, feeling long legs wrap around his waist, he holds Chris as he sniffles and fights back his tears.

"It's okay," he soothingly says into Chris' ear. "I will respect your choice."

"I wish I could, Dare. I really, really do," Chris mutters as he stares into his eyes. "But I can't be selfish. I can't do that to you."

"Do what?" Darren confusedly asks.

Realizing he's said too much, Chris hastily moves to climb out of Darren's lap, and off the bed. Wiping the tears from his cheeks, he shakes his head and says it's nothing.

Walking into the bathroom, closing the door behind him, he turns on the faucet of the sink and splashes his face with cold water. Needing to stop thinking about the pain that will come from walking away from what he is sharing with Darren here, feeling cold water run down his heated skin, he turns off the faucet and steps into the shower. Maybe a hot shower will clear his head and make things a smidgen better.

Hearing the shower turn on, wishing he could join Chris, but knowing they need some time alone for a bit, he climbs out of bed and walks out of the room. Going down the hall to the bathroom, he closes the door and steps into the shower.

The hot water helps calm and soothe him. It washes away everything that troubles him at the moment. He doesn't want to deal with that right now. With less than two days left here with Chris, that's all he wants to focus on.

Once in his second year of college, during spring break, he had a short fling with a girl he met when he and some friends went for the week to Florida. That was fun and something he enjoyed. When it ended and it was time for him to go home, he had no problems telling her bye and moving on. But these days with Chris don't feel anything like that.

This doesn't feel like a fling he will be easily able to walk away from. This isn't a few days of fun and excitement for him. It is. But it's so much more than that. It's thrilling and exciting and phenomenal and new and bringing out things in him he didn't know, or think, he had.

Yeah, there were thoughts and tendencies before this, but those were nothing. Those were always brushed off as occurring because he was drunk or because he was happy to oblige someone on a birthday. It was never more than that. But now that it is more than that, he wants to have what he has with Chris for longer than five days.

When he leaves this house to go back home to a place where he's no longer the person he was before the beach house, he actually so desperately wants to continue this with Chris past their time here. Exploring this thing between them beyond what they've discovered is something he wants more than he thought he would.

Stepping out of the shower after several minutes, quickly drying off, he wraps a towel around his hips. Walking back to the room where his bags are, surprised to find Chris sitting with his knees to his chest on the middle of the bed, he goes over to the bench in front of the bed where his bag sits. "You okay?" he asks as he pulls shorts and a shirt from the bag.

"Yeah," Chris mumbles. "I'm sorry about earlier."

"Why are you apologizing?" Grabbing a pair of underwear, he drops his towel without an ounce of shame or embarrassment. He likes knowing Chris is looking at him; likes to feel his eyes roaming over his body. It makes him feel wanted, even though he knows he is. But it also makes him feel beautiful in a way nothing else ever has. "You don't have to apologize." He pulls on his boxers.

It's unfair how great Darren looks naked and standing less than two feet from him. When he lost the towel, standing there with confidence, and looking sexy, Chris had to control his mind to not run rampant with thoughts of crawling the few inches to him and pulling him on top of him.

It scares him to know that he's running out of time with Darren to do things like that. Their moments together are becoming fewer and fewer; their hours melting away like ice cubes in a glass of water sitting out in the sun. That's why refusing Darren's offer earlier hurt so much. To know he could have more moments and more hours with Darren; that they were right there for the taking makes him sad. He was so close to having this like he wants, but it's for the best, like he knows, that this doesn't leave the house.

Once they leave, though, he'll still cherish the time he had here with Darren. No matter what happens, these days will forever be some of the best days of his life.

"I know," he sighs. "But I still feel terrible about it all."

"Don't." Feeling the bed dip when Darren sits in front of him, he crawls into his lap when he opens his arms in invitation. Being in Darren's strong arms makes him feel safe and warm and comfortable. Tucking his head right under Darren's chin, breathing in the smell of vanilla on his skin, knowing that scent will forever more make him think of their time here, he wishes Darren and he could stay and live in these ten days forever.

"Let's not worry over this anymore," Darren whispers into his ear. "Let's enjoy our last hours together."

"Okay," Chris mumbles, barely loud enough for Darren to hear.

Holding him in his arms, body warm and soft and skin still damp from his shower, Darren knows that letting him go in a few days will be difficult.

It's always hard to let go of something you care for deeply. But this will be unlike anything he's ever experienced before. This will be him letting go of something he tries desperately to cling to only still have it slip out of his fingers like water. Although gone, drops will still cling to his hands to remind him of what he once held.

"Besides," he softly says into Chris' ear. "I have an idea." He smiles when Chris chuckles at that, hearing him murmur that that's never a good thing.

He isn't too surprised by Darren's idea.

After having a late lunch, and briefly making out on the couch...okay, making out for an hour, but who's counting anyways, he went with Darren to the store in town. Watching as he filled the cart with plastic pails and shovels, seeing him getting more excited by the minute, he began to wonder if Darren would ever lose that five year old in him that liked to emerge like an animal out of hibernation. And really hoping he doesn't. Because that's one of the things he always found adorable about him. Knowing the guy who could go shot-for-shot of tequila with him also had a side to him that enjoyed playing in the sand had him falling for him just that bit more. He chuckled as the cashier checked them out, giving Darren a strange look at all the plastic pails he had. It was only as they walked out on to the beach did he figure it out what Darren wanted to do.

That's how he finds himself sitting on the beach, sand warm beneath his skin, as Darren and he build a sandcastle. It's their second one. The first succumbing to the water when they built it too close to the shore. The mixture of frustration and sadness on Darren's face at watching all their hard work being destroyed in less than a few seconds made Chris want to kiss him until he was happier.

Dumping handfuls of wet sand into the green pail he has, firmly packing it down, he looks to Darren as he does the same. Watching the way the muscles of his arms flex and move, glad he got rid of his shirt, staring at the bead of sweat that rolls down his chest, and over the lean muscles of his stomach, Chris is glad for wearing his Aviator sunglasses at the moment. To be caught staring wouldn't be horrifying; to be caught with eyes filled with want and lust, which he's pretty sure fills them at the moment, would mean they would never finish this sandcastle.

He doesn't have to look up to know Chris is watching him. Over the past hour he's caught him staring more than once, and smiling about it. Hell, in the past hour he's stared just as much at Chris as well. He watched as he wiped his brow of sweat, laughing at how cute he looked with grains of sand stuck to his forehead. He watched him stand in the ocean as he filled one of the pails with water, the water lapping around his ankles, the rays of sun shining off the water and making him look beautiful in the sun shine. So, yeah, he's been staring just as much.

He knows when they go back that will be one of the more difficult things for him to control. Not staring at the beauty of Chris will be something hard for him to figure out, but he knows he will have to.

Carefully placing the compacted sand on top of the castle, he slowly removes the bucket. Proud of himself for not fucking it up like before, he goes about smoothing out the sides, and adding little details. He isn't sure what it is about building sandcastles, but something about it always makes him excited and eager to do it.

"It's finished!" Darren exclaims beside him twenty minutes later.

Staring at Darren's masterpieces, thinking it doesn't look half bad, sort of, Chris nods his head in approval at the finished product. Almost an hours work of tedious labor, and they have a half-decent sandcastle.

"I should take a picture," Darren states.

"With what, genius?" Chris teases, smiling at him, laughing when he playfully hits him on his hip.

"My phone, dumbass," Darren jokes.

"Oh, you mean the phone you didn't bring?" Chris jokingly reminds him.

"I still have yours," Darren informs him.

"What happened to no technology?"

"It would take like five minutes. Tops. So...I'll be right back."

Watching Darren run into the house, staying put, Chris looks at their sandcastle and realizes he enjoyed these days without his phone. Having peace and quiet was something he really needed. Not having his phone go off every two seconds was a welcoming sound. Going without his phone, it seems, was easier than he thought. It also helped having Darren distract him from it.

Noticing Darren running back to him with phone in hand, he just shakes his head and chuckles.

"Does it even have any battery power left?" Chris asks him.

"It was fully charged when I shut it off," he informs him. Turning it on, seeing it's got enough to do what he needs to, he takes notice of the messages from Chris' ex. Pissed at just the sight of them he deletes them all and then opens the camera. Snapping a few quick pictures, he opens Chris' twitter app. "You're about to tweet, just so you know."

"Am I? What am I tweeting?" Chris asks with intrigue.

"Your amazing artwork."

Hitting send, Darren exits the app and turns off the phone. Putting it in his pocket, he looks to Chris and smiles. "Surprised you didn't try to wrestle it out of my hands again," he tells him.

"I'm actually good without it. Although, if you stuffed down the front of your shorts and told me to grab it, I would have no problem doing just that this time."

"I wouldn't stop you." Winking at Chris, he chuckles when he playfully hits him on the shoulder.

"So, what did my tweet say?"

"It said _'Keeping my day job, because being a sand sculptor is out of my future.'_"

"That it is." Chris laughs next to him, snorting a few times.

"It's not that bad," he says with a semi-sad voice.

"It's not," Chris laughs. "It's just...it looks like a castle after it's been attacked by an enemy."

"Thanks…I think," Darren mumbles, seeing Chris smile at him. "Come on," he takes Chris' hand in his, "let's go inside."

Heading back to the house, sand clinging to their legs and feet and hands, in crevices of skin that is uncomfortable, Darren smiles as he hears Chris complain about it.

"...and I think I got it down my shorts," Chris gripes, trying to wipe off most of it from his arms and legs. "How is that even possible? I could never understand how this stuff gets everywhere. Ugh."

"Come on," Darren tells him when they stand on the deck in front of the sliding door. Lifting Chris up into his arms, making him release a small scream, he slides the door open with his foot. "Let's take a shower."

"And how does that warrant you picking me up and carrying me?" Chris playfully asks, settling against Darren and resting his head on his shoulder. He really doesn't care why Darren is carrying him; it could be for any reason at all, and he wouldn't mind. He's going to reap the benefits of being in Darren's strong arms, and being pressed close to him.

Nuzzling his nose along his neck, breathing in the scent of vanilla mixing with sweat, making desire curl in his belly, and almost wanting to skip the shower, Chris places a tender kiss right to the spot where Darren's pulse races beneath his lips. Knowing he can do that to him; that he can make his pulse race just by being this close has a bit of pride rising up in Chris. Never before has he known anyone he's had this great of an effect on. Never before has he felt extremely wanted and desired than he has when he's been with Darren.

The same can be said for how Darren makes him feel. Just being close to him, being held or kissed or touched, makes his pulse race and heart beat wildly in his chest with how much he wants this man. It's almost a constant ache that swims through him, and is only soothed by having Darren's body naked and pressed close to his. Once he has that, once he gets Darren under him or over him, does he feel better. Almost like a junkie in need of a fix, except Darren is a drug he always knew he would become addicted to; and not caring about the side-effects of not having it once it's gone from him. Because, for right now, he has it to keep him satisfied.

"Why do I need a reason to carry you?" he playfully teases Chris, hearing him laugh and smile against his skin. "Maybe I want to be chivalrous."

"Chivalry is dead," Chris tells him, lifting his head and looking into his eyes. Darren can see Chris' eyes filled with a mixture of joy and desire. "Or so I thought."

"What's got you changing your mind?"

"A particular curly headed guy who likes to build sandcastles," Chris laughs, eyes crinkling at the corners as he does that.

"Well, I know a great guy that brings that out in me," Darren replies with a small laugh.

"Among other things."

"Among other things," he agrees, knowing Chris is referring to their time together.

Setting Chris down on the tile floor, giving him a quick kiss, he starts to undress. Pulling his shirt over his head, dropping it to the floor, biting his lip against a grin when he sees Chris staring at his body, he reaches out for Chris' shirt. "Arms up," he softly commands him.

Tugging the shirt up and over Chris' head, wrapping an arm around his naked waist and pulling him forward when he drops his arms from the material of his shirt, he does smile when Chris lays his palms flat over his stomach, roaming his hands. To know he is desirable to Chris, somehow, makes him not care how others might be attracted to him. As long as this one person, this person who has quickly climbed his way to the top of people who matter most to him, is enough for him. As long as Chris wants and desires him, no one else is it for him.

Knuckles brush his lower abdomen when Darren's fingers work to undo his shorts. Feeling hands slip their way past the waistband of his shorts and underwear, the clothing pushed off his hips, Chris steps out of them when they pool around his ankles. After doing the same with Darren, taking his hand, he steps into the shower.

Turning on the water, hearing the glass door close with a soft click, smiling when Darren steps up behind him and wraps his arms around his waist, thumb softly stroking over his belly, Chris feels better once the hot water starts to fall around them and wash away any remaining sand on his body.

The water hits him and slides down his body. Still holding Chris as he hums a song, pressing a kiss behind his ear, he lets him go when asks him to. Arms falling to his sides, and feeling a bit colder than a second before even with the hot water falling around him, he watches as Chris stands with his back to him and tips his head back.

Laying his palm flat at Chris' lower back, skin hot to the touch, noticing Chris still, he smiles at him when he turns around to face him. Cupping the side of his face, he leans into him and takes his mouth in a slow, languid kiss. Lips part beneath his and he tentatively pushes his tongue past Chris' lips, then gently delving and licking into his mouth. Wrapping his arms around Chris' small waist, pulling him close to his body, Darren knows he has to take advantage of the short amount of time he has left with him. And that's precisely what he plans to do at the moment.

Draping his arms over Darren's shoulders, feeling as he strokes his thumb over his lower back, body easily responding to Darren's naked, wet body so close to his, Chris pulls in a deep breath and softly whimpers as Darren starts to kiss down his neck. Threading his fingers through wet curls, he tips his head back and goes when Darren pushes him up against the glass of the shower door. Back coming into contact with the warm, wet glass, seeing Darren plant his hands on either side of his head, keeping him there, Chris stares into his eyes to find them dark with a hunger that has heat coiling in his belly.

"I don't know how I'll manage to not have you when we leave," Darren whispers as he nuzzles his nose along his neck. Those words make Chris' heart race, and have want overtaking him, making it difficult to focus on anything else. "But I'll try. That's why, for now, I'll get as much of you as I can."

Moaning into Darren's mouth when he hungrily kisses him, the kiss all tongue and teeth, Chris grips at his hip and brings him forward into him. Partially opening his legs, whining low in this throat when Darren gently rolls his hips into him, he breathes deeply when he pulls his mouth away from him.

Standing there staring at Darren, lips slightly parted as he breathes, hot water falling near them and hitting their skin, steam rising and swirling around them, Chris doesn't care what Darren does, just as long as he does something. Anything.

Seeing how much Chris wants him in that moment, how much he would give into anything he asked him to do right then and there, Darren watches as his chest rapidly rises and falls as he breathes, obviously waiting for him to do something. Fingers at his hip dig in and Chris minutely rolls his hips forward, seeking any kind of friction and sending a flicker of pleasure up his spine. Curling his fingers against the glass of the shower door, seeing Chris grin at him in a way that shows he knows what he's causing, Darren finally decides to do something about wanting him.

"What do you want?" he seductively asks as he brushes his lips to Chris'.

"Y-you," Chris gasps.

"I'm yours for the next day and a half," Darren reminds him, kissing along his jaw to his ear. "So, tell me, Chris," he softly demands, feeling Chris tremble against him. "What do you want?"

Hearing Chris sigh, and clutch at his hips, his voice comes out wavering when he speaks. "Anything. I-I...don't care."

Pressing a sweet kiss to Chris' lips, he smiles as he puts a minute amount of space between them. "I can work with anything."

Body thrumming with want, needing to have anything happen to him, Chris watches as Darren sinks to his knees right in front of him. Dropping his head back to the glass door with a loud thump, arching his body forward some, he releases a mixture of a moan and whimper when Darren's hot, wet, silky mouth envelopes his cock. Carding his fingers through wet curls, gently tugging and whimpering, feeling fingers dig into his hip, he loses himself in all the sensations running through his body at that moment.

Having Chris heavy and hard on his tongue is something in and of itself. It's unlike anything he's ever done with another person. When he did it the first the day before, it drove him wild. Just like now. Never before has sexually pleasing someone with his mouth been so arousing as it is now. Yeah, he can feel as his knees start to hurt from kneeling on the hard tile, an ache starts to form in his jaw, and he can feel where Chris pulls a little too hard on his hair. But it's all worth it when he looks up through his lashes to see pleasure on Chris' face; it's worth it to hear the noises he makes. It's all worth it.

Whimpering as Darren slowly sucks on his cock, gently tugging on curls, he closes his eyes and lets the amazing sensations and pleasure swim through his body.

Something about having Darren kneeling in front of him, his silky, warm mouth wrapped around him, and hearing him moaning as he sucks him off has the heat quickly pooling in his belly. Lifting his head and looking down, watching red lips move up and down on his cock, feeling fingers digging into his hip, only pushes him closer to his release. Locking eyes with Darren's when he looks up, seeing his swimming with his own pleasure and excitement, is what has him falling over the edge.

Biting his lower lip as he comes down Darren's throat, feeling him swallow everything, he clutches his other hand on Darren's shoulder. Needing something to hold on to so he doesn't fall to the floor, he digs his fingers into wet skin as he minutely thrusts his hips forward into the heat of Darren's mouth, making sure he gives everything that he can.

Noticing Chris slump against the glass as he stands back up, giving him a deep, sensual kiss, letting him taste himself on his tongue, he moves to stand under the water for a few seconds. Arms wrapping around his waist from behind, Chris pressing his hips close into his ass, Darren chuckles as he notices Chris slowly walking his fingers down his lower abdomen. Lips press to his neck.

"Want me to return the favor?" Chris whispers into his ear.

Grabbing Chris' hand and lifting it to rest on his chest right above his heartbeat, Darren just shakes his head. "I'm good. I can wait 'til later."

"Are you sure?"

Turning around and cupping the back of Chris' neck, slightly tipping his head back, gazing to his red and full lips, he leans down and kisses him. Hands rest against his chest, fingers slightly curling into his skin, as Chris whimpers into his mouth. Water hits his back and slides down his body, it is turning colder by the second, but all he cares about is kissing Chris. All he cares about is the mouth pressed to his as it moves against his in a tender, gentle kiss.

"I'm positive," he softly says when he pulls away, wiping his thumb along Chris' bottom lip. "There's more fun in waiting."

"That there is." Chris brushes his nose along his cheek, sending a small shiver down his spine that has nothing to do with the water. "Guess we should get out before we prune."

"That we should," Darren laughs.

Stepping out of the shower and drying off, dropping the towel on the floor and walking to the room, blushing when Darren wolf-whistles behind him, Chris smiles. "Shut up," he teases, looking over his shoulder at him. The sight of Darren with wet hair and damp skin, white linen towel hanging low off his hips, perfectly showing off his V, Chris moans at the sight. To know he could walk up to Darren right there and drop the towel to the floor, and do whatever he pleased, makes him itch to do just that.

He doesn't miss the look that crosses Chris' eyes. It's a look he's noticed quiet a bit these past few days. It's a look he just witnessed in the shower not fifteen minutes before. It makes it a bit difficult not to lose the towel and push Chris to the bed and bury himself deep inside him like they both want.

But he fights from doing that, because the waiting only adds fuel to the fire. Waiting to have Chris will only make it that much better when they fall into bed later that night.

Rummaging through his clothes and pulling on a black cotton shirt, and some sweat pants, he watches as Chris pulls on an oversized shirt and boxers. Going up to him, he suddenly places a sweet and gentle kiss to his lips.

"You probably shouldn't kiss me right now," Chris politely warns him.

"I know. But I couldn't help myself. You have very tempting and delectable lips." He presses another kiss to his lips; this one quick and chaste.

"Come on," Chris whispers to him. "I'm hungry. Let's cook before we give in to each other."

"Sounds good to me."

In the kitchen making dinner, the smell of the food cooking filling the air, pouring wine into two wine glasses, he hands one to Darren. Smiling when he gives him a quick kiss, he licks his lips when he pulls away. Taking drink of the wine, the alcohol smooth and sweet on his tongue, he lets out a small laugh when soft, slow music starts playing. Closing his eyes and gently swaying back and forth to the music, he enjoys the quiet moment.

After this morning, after what Darren and he talked about, he appreciates that nothing bad happened. He is glad that they are still able to share these remaining hours together; that they can still go on being like they have been for the past few days. He loves that they can still do something as cook dinner and listen to music without worry of the other being mad at them.

Going up to Chris as he stands there and swirls the wine in his glass, slowly moving to the song playing, seeing him lost in his thoughts, he takes the glass from his hand and places it on the counter. Taking one of Chris' hands, interlacing their fingers and resting it on his chest right above his heart, he takes Chris' other hand, pulling him close, and wraps it around his waist, hand resting at his lower back.

"Dance with me?" he asks as he stares into Chris' eyes bright with joy.

"I'd love to."

Taking a few steps away from the counter, standing in the middle of the kitchen, he slowly starts to dance with Chris.

It's little things like this that make it difficult for him not to fall for Darren. Even before all this there were times he would surprise him out of nowhere and ask him to dance, or hold him when he somehow knew he was having a bad day and soothingly sing into his ear. It's those little moments Chris cherished the most. Those little moments that would brighten his whole day and make him smile.

When they go back, he knows those little moments will be gone. Having one of those moments would entail being held close to Darren, like right now, and he knows he won't be able to do that without wanting him and giving in to that.

So, for now, he'll cherish and live in this moment. He'll remember how Darren's heartbeat feels beneath his hand; he'll remember how he's being held so close to Darren; he'll remember how Darren is humming a soft, melodic song into his ear as they sway together. But most of all, he'll remember how he realized, right here and now, he's in love with the man in his arms.

Dancing with Chris comes natural to him. Just like everything else about their relationship together.

Holding him close, feeling him brush his nose along his cheek, he realizes how much he's going to miss this after they leave. Being able to hold Chris close, being able to kiss him whenever he wants to, and witnessing how gorgeous he still manages to look after a night of sex.

Time is running out, and he knows that. Hours, minutes, and seconds tick away and he has no way of stopping it. Has no way of adding more sand to the hourglass to give him the time he wants with Chris. No matter what he does, though, he can't stop time; he can't get what he wants. And what he wants is Chris beyond this.

It suddenly feels as if his world has shifted the slightest, because everything is still the same but he takes notice of how the little things are different. The way Darren smells of soap and sweat is clearer and stronger and more sensual than before. How his body pressed close to his is more noticeable; the hard muscles and soft flesh of Darren's body more pronounced against his body. How his heartbeat feels beneath his hand. How Darren's voice is soft and soothing in his ear as he hums a song. It's all the same, but so different at the same time.

It wasn't supposed to happen. He didn't come here intentionally looking to fall in love with his best friend. But truth be told, looking back on it, he's known he's been in love with Darren for some time now. He's just done a great job of suppressing that feeling way down inside him. But here, now, in this moment, it broke free and hit him like an unexpected wave. It washes over him and he drowns in the feeling. It makes it harder for him to breathe, his heart races with the realization of what happened, his pulse quickens the longer it goes on after he realizes. And just like being thrown under by a wave, he needs to break the surface and breathe. But experiencing all that doesn't stop him from placing a kiss to Darren's neck and smiling against his skin, because it feels amazing.

Slowly turning in circles as he still dances with Chris, no longer humming, Darren wants to tell Chris that he fell for him. He wants to tell him he the truth, and maybe get the time he wants with him.

Pulling back and staring into Chris' eyes, something akin to an electric spark runs through him. It leaves him breathless and has him wanting Chris unlike before. This feeling leaves a tingle under his skin and his pulse racing with desire.

Staring into Darren's eyes, feeling his pulse racing and mind filled with ways to tell him, he opens his mouth to do that. "Dare," he whispers. It's right there on his tongue, heavy like an anchor to remind him of what he carries unsaid. But he can't say it. Maybe it's out of nerves or fear or being scared of what would be said in return, he keeps his lips sealed.

Just the way Chris' voice sounds as he says the nickname that drives him crazy has him leaning forward and taking Chris' mouth in a slow, languid kiss. Hearing him moan and sigh, he tentatively licks into his mouth when he parts his lips. Backing him up against the closest counter, he pulls back to take Chris' shirt off.

The want between Darren and he in this moment is greater than anything they've experienced so far. It leaves him unable to think of anything else but having the man right in front of him.

Reaching to pull Darren's shirt over his head, he drops it to the floor without a second thought. Running his fingers through slightly damp curls when Darren starts to kiss down his chest, flicking his tongue over one of his nipples, he tips his head back and moans at the jolt of pleasure that goes through him at the small touch. Hungrily kissing Darren when he stands back up, fingers pushing past the waistband of his boxers and slipping them off his hips, stepping out of them when they pool around his ankles, he does the same with Darren.

Getting furthered turned on when Darren grabs him and turns him around, pushing him against the counter. Lacing his fingers with Darren's hand that covers his chest right over his heart, he moans when Darren presses his hips into his ass. Dropping his head down, squeezing Darren's fingers, reaching behind him and grabbing at Darren's hip, whining low in his throat when a hand skims down his stomach, sending shivers through him, he gasps when Darren takes him in hand.

Kissing at the side of Chris' neck, feeling his pulse beating strongly beneath his lips, smelling lemons, slowly working his hand up and down his cock, thumbing the head when he strokes upward, he moans when Chris rocks his hips back on him. Instant white, hot pleasure crawls up his spine and has desire to do so much more than what they are doing right now. Slowing the movement of his hand, he smiles as Chris groans.

"Ple-please, Dare," Chris begs, using the nickname he knows drives him crazy.

"Tell me," he says into Chris' ear. "Tell me what you want?"

"Just you," Chris whimpers, sounding like anything else doesn't matter; voice dripping with want and desire and need, heart hammering beneath his hand.

That answer has Darren burying his face in the curve of Chris' neck and breathing heavy. It's in that moment, holding a naked, trembling Chris close, that he knows he will give Chris anything he ever asks for in the future. And if one day, he asks for him, he will happily give himself over. "Okay," he mumbles against Chris' neck.

Turning him around and capturing his mouth in a heated, hungry kiss, he starts to walk them out of the kitchen and to the closest one of their bedrooms. Both chuckling when they stumble some as they walk, Darren holds Chris close and knows he will never let him fall. Nuzzling his nose along his cheek, feeling the warmth there from his blush, holding his body close to him, he falls a little bit more for this man.

As they walk, all thoughts of everything leave their mind except for the person in their arms.

* * *

**Hopefully y'all enjoyed this chapter. I think it's not as great as the previous ones, but that's my crazy mind telling me that. It could be different for everybody else. Thanks for reading!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Day Ten**

Sitting with his knees to his chest, one arm wrapped around his legs, watching as the waves roll in and break against the shore, Chris takes a drink of his orange juice. It's close to one in the afternoon, the bright, warm sun high in the clear, blue sky. He sits out on the deck alone; Darren still asleep in bed, not surprised considering the night before.

Thinking about the night before, dancing in Darren's arms as he realized he loved him makes his heart ache at knowing he can't tell him. Keeping that secret locked away will be best for Darren in the end; even though it hurts, he will do it. It's not out of fear of not hearing it in return, because that he could handle. What he couldn't handle is hearing it in return and dragging Darren into a complicated, screwed up mess his life would be if the media and press were to discover the truth about them. Because, in the end, he knows if Darren were to tell him he loved him, it would be impossible for him to not be with him in every way. It would be impossible to stay just the friends who fooled around that one summer. That's why he knows he can't tell him; he can't bring him into something he shouldn't have to deal with.

Yawning and running his hands over his face, rubbing the sleep from his face, Darren smiles at finding Chris sitting outside. Stopping and staring at him as the sun shines on him, seemingly giving him a glow that makes him look stunning, all he can think about is keeping him. And not keeping him like some toy he plays with every once and while to entertain him when he's bored. But keep him as his for longer than a handful of days. He wants him as more than just a best friend. For the first time in his life, he wants a boyfriend.

With Chris as his boyfriend, he knows it would be amazing, and unlike anything he's ever experienced, just like these days so far. Even though it would be new to have a boyfriend, he knows he would still be a great boyfriend to Chris. He could totally pull off romantic and sweet and enduring. With Chris, he brings out that side of him more than anybody else he's been with.

Walking up to Chris, seeing eyes shining bright with warmth when he looks to him, he sits down close next to him. Leaning over and nuzzling his nose in the curve of his neck, placing a kiss over his racing pulse, he rests his head on his shoulder.

"Morning," Chris tells him. "Or I should say afternoon."

"Whatever it is, I'm glad to share it with you," Darren says in reply.

Lifting his head and resting his chin on Chris' shoulder, listening to the sound of waves crashing, breathing in the smell of the ocean, he wraps an arm around Chris' waist. Resting his hand at Chris' hip, barely slipping it under the material of his shirt just enough for his fingertips to brush warm skin, stroking his thumb over flesh, he soaks in this little moment. When outside, they make sure to stay so far apart so as not to draw too much attention. But when they are brave, like now, with so little time together, he's going to take advantage of these little moments.

"We should go swimming one last time," Darren softly says.

Staring at the blue water of the ocean, watching the waves and tides, and how the water moves, Chris doesn't see anything wrong with that. "Later," he replies. "When the sun starts to set."

"Deal," Darren responds with a small chuckle. "I'm hungry; gonna go eat."

Turning his head to look at Darren, a small smile appearing on his lips, Chris leans forward and nudges his nose against Darren's. "I'm starved, too," he says.

"Pizza?" Darren suggest.

"Sounds perfect." Finishing the last of his orange juice, dropping his legs, he stands up. "Do you think they have a place that delivers? 'Cause I really don't feel like cooking."

"Let's find out." Feeling Darren wrap and arm around his waist and pull him close into his side, Chris goes with him back inside.

An hour later sitting on the couch, Chris sitting with his back pressed to his side and legs outstretched in front of him, they eat slices of pizza and drink cold beer. It's easy and comfortable just like everything else between them has been so far.

"It's kind of scary how quickly we ate this pizza," Darren surprisingly says as he stares at the last slice of pizza sitting in the box.

"We did work up an appetite last night," Chris chuckles, finishing off his beer. Darren stares into his luminous eyes when he tips his head back and looks up at him. "Am I right?"

"I didn't hear you protest," he replies, letting out an easy laugh. "In fact I think I heard the opposite. What was it," Darren says, pretending to try and remember. "I distinctly recall hearing, in a desperate voice I might add, _'More'_ and _'Harder'_ and _'Right there.'_"

"Oh, you wanna play dirty, do you?" Chris turns around and faces Darren, setting his empty bottle on the table. Darren sees him wickedly grin and arch an eyebrow at him. "Because, I think I remember you pretty much being a babbling mess when I went down on you."

"Can you blame me? You have an amazing mouth." Darting his eyes to Chris' lips, Darren eagerly wants to kiss him. "Wanna make out?" he asks with deep desire lacing his voice.

"There you go again," Chris laughs, although Darren can see want filling his eyes. "Talking like a teenager, again."

"So, you don't want to make out?"

"I never said that," Chris tells him.

A hand grabs behind his neck and pulls him forward. Moaning into the kiss Darren gives him, Chris moves to straddle his lap. Draping his arms over Darren's shoulders, running his fingers through curls still messy from sex and sleep, he parts his lips when he feels Darren lick at the seam of his mouth. Letting out a small whimper when Darren softly delves his tongue into his mouth, tentatively licking and gently massaging their tongues together, he grips at curls and presses closer to Darren's body.

It's out of slight sadness that this could be the last time he can make out with Darren for an extended amount of time that he is doing this. Not to say he wouldn't have done it if that wasn't the case. Any reason to sit here and kiss soft, full lips for as long as he desires and he'll gladly accept. But knowing the time with Darren is dwindling by the second, he wants to take advantage of being able to kiss him all he wants.

Holding Chris close to him, resting a hand at his lower back, fingers brushing the waistband of his pajama bottoms, Darren knows he could spend hours doing this.

Kissing Chris is amazing. Pressing his lips to Chris' smooth, plump ones is something he would never tire of doing. But he also knows his ability to just kiss him anytime he wants to is slowing fading away. The opportunity for him to just pull Chris close and kiss him just because he feels like it is almost gone. When they leave tomorrow, he won't be able to do this. He won't be able to kiss lips that feel amazing moving against his.

Holding Chris tight, he flips them over and lays him against the couch. Settling down between his legs, feeling as Chris hooks his legs over his hips, he continues to kiss him.

Pulling in a deep breath when Darren starts to kiss down his neck, releasing a small whine when he sucks and nips at the sensitive area of his neck, he tips his head back to expose more of his neck. Wrapping his arm around Darren's back, clutching at his shirt, he flutters his eyes closed and parts his lips and softly moans as Darren gently nips and bites at the area right below his ear. It sends jolts of desire through him at how great it feels. Just from the feel of Darren's mouth sucking at the skin, he knows what he is doing.

He's trying to give him a hickey. A hickey that would be red against his pale skin; a hickey that would be great to have if not for the fact that he can't have that. Because, Chris then remembers they are leaving tomorrow and he would have no way of explaining a random hickey on his neck. So, pushing at Darren's shoulders, a bit upset at feeling his mouth leave his neck, he looks up at him as he hovers over him.

"You can't do that," he tells him. "We're leaving tomorrow. I can't have that on my neck."

At Chris' words, Darren realizes he's right. "Sorry," he apologizes, cupping the side of Chris' face and stroking his cheek. "I forgot for a second."

"It's okay." Chris turns into Darren's hand, pressing a kiss to his palm. Gazing into stunning eyes when he looks back up at him, Darren smiles down at Chris. "Kiss me again," Chris whispers.

"Gladly." Curling his fingers around Chris' neck, noticing him tip his head back some, he presses his lips to soft, wet ones in a slow, languid kiss. Gently thrusting his tongue into Chris' mouth, moaning as they massage their tongues together, he knows he's going to miss this so much.

He feels like a kid given a puppy he's secretly admired to only have it taken away a few days later because he's supposed to like cats.

But he's going to cherish the time he had with Chris. Every single moment will not be forgotten.

Going when Darren sits up, sitting in his lap, Chris wraps his fingers around his neck and deepens the kiss. There's a bit more hunger and desire behind it.

Letting out a small gasp when he rocks his hips down, a surge of pleasure going through him at the brush of his and Darren's cocks together through the material of their clothes. He wants him terribly; wants to spend their last hours together in bed, naked, having sex, and doing nothing but memorizing every inch of the other person. To spend hours doing nothing but that sounds appeasing and perfect. But, he would rather wait for the night; wait and

"Wa-...Wait," he breathes, forcing himself to move off Darren's lap, falling to the couch.

"Something wrong?" Darren asks with concern evident in his voice.

"No, I just...No." Chris shakes his head, reaching and taking Darren's hand, lacing their fingers together.

Turning on to his side and tangling their legs together when Darren lies down next to him, letting him pull him close, resting his head on Darren's arm, slipping his hand under his shirt that has ridden up some and splaying his hand over warm skin, he feels as Darren softly runs his fingers through his hair with one hand, the other resting low on his back. Staring into his eyes that captivate him, he feels an ache at knowing what tomorrow brings; feels a sadness and hurt that he won't be able to experience this anymore.

"What's wrong?" Darren asks. He knows Chris pretty well. Even before these ten days, he knew something was bothering him just by the look in his eyes. It's the same look he sees now. Something is bothering Chris, and he needs to know so he can make it better.

"Tomorrow came too quickly," Chris whispers to him.

Hearing those words, Darren immediately understands. He feels the same way. It's too soon.

"We can stay. We...we can stay longer and forget about the consequences for a bit longer," he tells him with hope and yearning lacing his voice. He knows he suggested the same thing yesterday, but with what Chris just said, he hopes this time he changed his mind.

"I already told you we can't do that, Dare. We have to go back to the real world." Chris gives a smile that is far from joyous, shrugging his shoulders. "I...I'm just sad that this amazing time with you is coming to an end."

"I know," Darren whispers, feeling the same. Stroking his thumb over the skin of Chris' lower back, treasuring being able to hold him close while he still can, he lets out a soft chuckle when he sees Chris yawn and his eyes start to get heavy. "Tired?"

"Yeah," Chris answers as he minutely nods his head.

"How about we take a nap?"

"That sounds perfect." Turning in Darren's arms, pressing back against him as much as he can, holding his hand that is splayed over his chest tightly, he lets out a small yawn. "I hope you know you fucked up my sleeping schedule," Chris playfully gripes as he burrows into the pillow his head is resting on.

"Mine just as fucked up as yours, as well," Darren tells him with soft chuckle, nuzzling his nose in the back of Chris' neck. "Seems our late night activities are catching up with us."

"Using the word _'activities_' makes it seem like we play board games or something." Chris hears Darren laugh into his ear, making him smile.

"Is that what we're gonna tell our friends when they ask what we did?" Darren questions.

"Well, duh; because the reply _"Each other."_ probably wouldn't go over so easy with them," Chris jokingly replies. Lying there for a few minutes, thinking about what Darren brought up, he realizes they need to discuss that. "Dare?"

"Yeah?" he whispers, hearing the hint of worry to Chris' voice.

"What do we say when they ask?" Chris asks with concern. "What...We can't tell them, that's obvious. But what do we say?"

Kissing Chris' shoulder and stroking his thumb over his hand to calm him down a bit, Darren gazes into Chris worry filled eyes as he looks over his shoulder at him. "The truth, but with some parts omitted," he tells him. "We tell them we drank, barbecued, went to parties, built sandcastles, swam, meet some great people, and," he grins, raising an eyebrow, "played board games." He smiles when Chris releases a laugh, feeling him relax in his arms.

"Very intense board games," Chris jokes.

"Ones that left us exhausted and thoroughly pleased."

Chris snorts as Darren hugs him tightly and places a kiss at the curve of his neck. "You know I won't be able to look at a board game now without laughing," he points out.

"You and me both," Darren tells him.

Letting out a yawn, closing his eyes, he is more than ready for a nap even though he woke up less than four hours ago. "I'm going to sleep now," he informs Darren.

"I'll join you."

With a smile on his lips, Chris quickly falls asleep in Darren's strong arms where he feels safe and happy.

Waking up a couple hours later lying on his stomach, and alone, Darren groans as he sits up. Rubbing his hands over his face, and trying to get the sleep out of his eyes, he stands up off the couch. Stretching his arms above his head, hearing a few joints pop, and yawning, he looks out the glass to see that the sun has barely started to set. Turning his head when he hears bottles clanking together as the fridge door closes, he smiles at seeing Chris standing behind the breakfast bar.

"That nap was great," he says as he walks over to Chris.

"Yeah, it was," Chris agrees. "The only bad thing is now we'll be up late."

"I'm pretty sure we can figure out something that will tire us out," Darren jokes as he kisses the back of Chris' neck, hearing him release a small laugh. Wrapping his arms around his small waist and hooking his chin over his shoulder, pressing close to him, he watches as Chris makes peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. "You still up for swimming?" he asks as he watches Chris start to slice a banana.

"Yeah," Chris agrees. "Although, it is starting to get dark. Will it be safe for us?"

"We should be fine." Darren watches as Chris starts to place the banana slices on the piece bread that has peanut butter on it. Dropping his arms from around Chris' waist, he moves to sit up on the counter. Watching him finish making the sandwiches and cut them in half, he takes one of the halves.

Taking a bite of his sandwich, watching as Darren eats as well, Chris looks outside to see the sun setting. The sky is filled with pinks and reds and orange that reflect on the water. It's a beautiful sight; one that he wishes he could take a picture and show the world. But he's happy with just sharing it with Darren.

"Do we have to go swimming?" he asks as pulls a banana slice out of his sandwich and eats it.

"We don't have to," Darren replies, putting extra emphasis on have. "If you don't want to I won't force you to go."

"I don't think I'm up for it anymore," Chris says as moves to stand between Darren's legs. Placing his hands on his thighs, he smiles up at him. "I'm sorry. But you can still go if you want to."

"It's fine." Staring at Chris, seeing how beautiful he is, and how much happiness is in his eyes that shine with it at the moment, Darren hates that this is their last night together.

Cupping the back of Chris' neck, and placing a finger under his chin to tilt his head back, he leans down and places his lips on Chris' soft, full ones that taste like peanut butter. Smiling against his mouth at that, he licks at the seam of his mouth, feeling him part his lips in invitation. Gently delving his tongue into Chris' mouth, tentatively licking, softly moaning when Chris starts to massage their tongues together, Darren wants to kiss him forever.

The kiss is slow and languid; is hot enough for him to want more. It creates a sizzle under his skin he can feel all the way down to his toes. It's has desire flowing through him. But he ignores that in favor of continuing to kiss Darren.

The hand at the back of his neck moves away, and suddenly Darren's mouth is gone. Opening his eyes to see what happened, he finds Darren licking his lips, which just makes him want to kiss him even more again.

"Why'd you stop?" he asks.

"Let's watch the sunset," Darren replies as he hops off the counter. Pulling Chris close to him, seeing a bit of a pout on his face, he chuckles at knowing Chris still wants to kiss him. "Don't pout; it makes you look cuter than you normally are."

"When you suggest watching the sunset to me kissing you, I'm gonna pout," Chris tells him. "Let's forget the sunset and just kiss."

Darren laughs. "How about a nice, hot bath instead?" he suggests.

"I could do that," Chris responds, nodding his head.

Giving him a quick kiss, he takes his hand in his. "Let's go then."

Ten minutes later, the bathroom warm and filled with steam, Chris climbs into the tub. Sitting between Darren's legs, and lying back against his chest, head resting on his shoulder, he hums in contentment. Turning his head and sliding his nose along Darren's neck, hearing the sigh he releases, he presses his lips right to where his pulse point is, feeling the strong beat beneath his lips.

"This is so much better than a sunset," he laughs. An arm snakes around his waist and pulls him impossibly closer, smiling when Darren turns to look at him with laughter to his eyes. "What?" he asks as he lifts his arm and skims his fingers through curls at the base of Darren's neck, lightly digging his nails in and dragging them.

"I'm happy here with you," Darren replies to him.

Chris feels his heart soar at the words; he beams up at Darren. "I'm happy here with you, too."

Gazing at Chris as he gives him a smile more beautiful than the sunset occurring outside at the moment, Darren leans over and kisses the tip of his nose, enjoying when he giggles. Going lower, he takes Chris' lips in a slow, languid kiss. Gently thrusting his tongue into Chris' mouth after he parts his lips, sliding their tongues together, feeling him grasp a handful of his hair, he pulls in a deep breath when Chris breaks the kiss.

Sitting up and carefully turning around, hearing water slosh over the edges of the tub and hit the floor, Chris leans over and pulls Darren in for a hungry kiss. It's filled with desperation and need and want.

It doesn't take long for his body to crave more.

Lying against Darren when he sits back against the tub, hearing more water fall out of the tub, he kisses him as he oh so gently rocks his hips down, moaning at the drag of his cock against Darren's. Kissing him as he feels hands roam over his back, he is ready to get out of the tub and do something about his need for Darren.

Staring into Chris' lust blown eyes, seeing how dark they are with need and desire, he desperately kisses him.

"Tell me, Chris," he says as he grabs at Chris' hips as he rolls them down on him, lifting his own hips up into the motion.

"Feels so good," Chris softly groans, reaching behind Darren to grab at the edge of the tub for support.

Rolling his hips down, wet hands sliding against the porcelain, feeling Darren hook one of his legs over his hip, he moves his hips.

"Tell me, Chris."

"F-Feels...a-amazing," he stutters, releasing a soft moan when Darren grabs his ass, squeezing the flesh under his hand. "Need...Want more."

"What do you want?" Darren asks him as he brushes their lips together; sticking his tongue out to barely flick over Chris' upper lip.

"Want you," Chris replies, dropping one of his hands and curling it around Darren's neck, tipping his head back and capturing his mouth in a passionate, hungry kiss.

"Want me, what?" Darren asks even though it's clear what Chris wants. His body trembles against his with every gentle thrust of his hips down. Just as much as Chris is desperate for it, so is he. He wants to get out of this tub and spend the last night with Chris doing anything but sleeping.

"Want you inside me." Chris kisses his top lip. "Want to make it last." He kisses his bottom lip. "Want to go for hours." Tipping his head back, he feels as Chris kisses down his neck, lightly biting his Adam's apple. Gazing into his eyes when he lifts his head, moaning when Chris rocks down on him, seeing him grin at him, Darren's body screams at him for more. When Chris talks to him it's with a voice filled with need. "Want to lose myself in you for our last night together."

Groaning when Darren leans forward and furiously kisses him, digging his fingers into the side of his neck, pressing close to him, he pulls away and takes a deep breath. Dropping his forehead to Darren's, staring into his eyes, catching his breath, he smiles.

"Ready for a long night?" he asks as he skims his fingers along the back of Darren's neck.

"Definitely," Darren breathlessly replies.

It doesn't take long for them to get from the tub in the bathroom to the bedroom; and once there, Darren slowly works him open with his fingers.

Staring up at Darren as he kneels over him, legs hooked over his hips, he sighs, fluttering his eyes closed and taking his bottom lip between his teeth, when Darren starts to push into him. Hands on his thighs grip tight and hold on as Darren slowly rolls his hips into him, stopping when he's flush against his ass.

It will never get old for him how it feels to have Darren inside him. No other person has made him feel like he does when he's with him. The way he feels full and complete and perfect with Darren is something he's never experienced before. With his past sexual partners it was never like this. It always seemed to feel like there was something missing; something not right. Now being with Darren, he realizes there was nothing missing, he was just with the wrong people. It's almost as if he was meant to be here with the person who makes it feel right.

Parting his lips around a moan when Darren barely rocks his hips, sending an ember of pleasure through him, he arches his back and works his hips down onto Darren.

Gripping Darren's hands in his when he takes his hands and places them above his head, leaning over him and thrusting his hips hard a few times, he squeezes his hands as he drops open his legs more.

He knew how amazing sex could be. It was always great before. But now, sex with Chris, is somehow phenomenal. The pleasure he experiences is indescribable, and almost unreal. His whole body seems to be attuned to what he is doing. Every inch of him feels alive.

Eyes dark and wild like a thunderstorm stare up at him as he rolls his hips into Chris. Watching him tip his head back and release a small whimper, wet lips parting and glistening from the light overhead, Darren softly skims his thumb over Chris' red and full lips. Seeing as Chris turns his head into his hand, taking his thumb into his mouth and licking over the digit, he moves in him with slow, languid thrust of his hips.

As he looks at Chris, seeing a flush spreads across his cheeks and down his chest, gazing up at him with half-lidded eyes as he moans around his thumb as he thrust his hips, Darren can't stop thinking how gorgeous he looks.

He's seen him in various states of being. There's the way he looks as Kurt, the way he looks as himself, when he's dressed up, when he's in nothing but sweats, and now as he's naked beneath him. Seeing Chris in any way is a gorgeous sight in and of itself, but how he looks now easily tops all of that.

Staring up at Darren as he slowly fucks him, driving him crazy in the best way possible, Chris watches as he pushes his knee up to his chest. Arching his back and crying out on the next slow, deep thrust of Darren's hips.

This time is about drawing it out; making it last as long as possible. The anticipation of it all.

Drawing his hips back and slowly thrusting back into Chris' body, sending waves of pleasure and desire through him, it's slow and sensual. Leaning down, he buries his face in the curve of Chris' neck as he lets out a low cry of his name when he drags his hips back and slowly pushes back in.

Feeling the stretch of Chris around him, the heat and tightness that are currently driving him crazy makes it difficult to go slow.

It is totally different from anything they've done these past several days. All those times were about reaching the end, having that amazing climax. But this time is about experiencing. This is about enjoying every little thing. This isn't about rushing to get to the end. They are savoring everything.

Grasping a handful of Chris' hair and gently pulling his head back, Darren kisses him slow and languid, sliding their tongues together as their bodies slide together.

Every drag of Darren out of him, and subsequent push back in, sends a jolt of pleasure through him. Lifting his leg higher on Darren's side, tilting his hips up, pulling more of Darren inside him, Chris loudly moans at the next slow thrust of Darren's hips.

It's like a slow fire burn that is torturous but amazing at the same time. It feels like embers of pleasure are flowing through him that need to be flamed to create that fire he wants and craves. He wants to have the pleasure he's known the last few days. But at the same time, this slow and steady is just as great; just as pleasurable. And just what he wanted.

Locking his eyes with Darren's, parting his lips around a soft whimper when he gently thrust back into him, he reaches up and wraps his hand around the back of his neck. Bringing him down into a kiss that is all tongue and teeth, he moans into Darren's mouth when he manages to barely brush his prostate. "Fuck!" he quietly exclaims, dropping his legs open as much as he can.

Hearing Chris curse, and feeling him tremble beneath him, a shiver runs through Darren at how wrecked Chris' voice already sounds, even though they haven't done much.

Pushing himself up, tugging at Chris' hips until his ass is resting in his lap, he grabs at Chris' hips and moves in him with long, languid thrust of his hips. Seeing Chris arch his back and push his hips down for more, crying out in pleasure as he plants his hands to the headboard for leverage, Darren groans as Chris starts to roll his hips down.

Watching as he slowly works his hips down, movements that send pleasure crawling up his spine, Darren knows he has to see him on top of him doing that one last time. So, getting a good hold on him, he turns them over.

Going with Darren when he rolls over, sitting up and sinking all the way down on him, tipping his head back and releasing a small moan, Chris stays still for several heartbeats. He wants to remember this; remember how it feels to have Darren inside him filling him up. Staring down at Darren, he wants to remember how he looks under him; how he looks gorgeous with desire and need swimming in his eyes. He wants to remember what is almost gone.

Fingers squeezing at his hips bring him out of his thoughts.

"Yes?" he whispers.

"Are you okay?" Darren asks as he slides his hands from Chris' hips to grab at his thighs.

"Yeah. Just...Just thinking." Chris smiles down at Darren.

Barely grabbing at Darren's sides, flesh warm under his hands, Chris starts to minutely rock his hips. Feeling the smallest of shifts of Darren inside him, softly whining low in his throat, he gently rocks his hips again. It's not much, just enough to keep them both satisfied and bodies on edge for more. Rocking his hips again, watching Darren tip his head back and release a groan, barely thrusting his hips up, Chris knows how much he wants him to pick up his pace, because his body is currently screaming at him to move faster.

It's so hard to hold back. It's difficult to let Chris do what he wants to at the moment. This is about taking it slow. But watching as Chris barely moves his hips, staring down at him with a glint in his eyes, Darren lies there and just lets him do what he wants to.

"Want me to move faster?" Chris smirks down at him, softly rolling his hips.

"Yes," Darren replies with a hint of frustration.

Chris looks gorgeous above him as he moves his hips at his own pace. But watching as he leans down and braces one of his hands on the bed next to his head, shuffling his knees to spread his legs open more, seeing him flutter his eyes and hearing him let a soft moan pass his lips, Darren cries out when Chris lifts his hips until he's almost all the way out of him and then slams back down.

Gripping Chris' hips as he does that a few more times, lifting his hips to meet the thrusts. Right when they set up a fast, hard rhythm, Darren feels as Chris slows down again.

Watching as he sits back up, tipping his head back as he slowly rolls his hips, lowly whimpering, he wonders how much longer they can keep at this pace. His body is already craving, needing more.

Moaning as Chris starts to lift up to his knees and rock back down, grinding his hips and rolling them, he sits up and wraps an arm around Chris, holding him close as thrust up into him.

"Harder, Dare," Chris desperately begs of him. "Harder...Please."

His own body screaming for more, it doesn't take much beyond that to flip Chris to his back. Grabbing behind one of his knees and pushing it to his chest, leaning down and bracing his other hand on the bed by Chris' head, he starts to fuck him like they both want.

It's hard, fast, rough snaps of his hips. He pulls back until he's almost all the way out, feeling Chris stretching around the head of his cock, slamming his hips forward. Nails scratch down his back as Chris arches his back and lets out loud cries of pleasure. Noticing how close he is, he lets go of his knee and reaches down and wraps his hand around his cock.

Darren's hand around his cock and stroking him at the same time as the snap of his hips into him, Chris pushes up into his fist. He's close. It won't be long before he lets go. And when Darren angles his hips on the next thrust in, managing to hit his prostate, he feels his body seize and snap.

He comes over Darren's fist on onto his stomach in white, hot spurts.

Feeling Chris sporadically clenching around him has him planting his other hand to the bed and pounding into him. A few hard snaps of his hips later, he spills inside him. He works his hips until he has nothing left to give; until he is over sensitive.

Just like that it's over. Falling to the bed in a tangle of loose limbs and heavy breathing, this little…affair that they shared is done.

"That was intense," he pants as he heavily breathes, feeling Chris lazily run his fingers through his hair.

"It was," Chris agrees with a nod of his head. "Now, I'm tired."

"Me too."

"Guess we should clean up, then."

"Guess so."

It was supposed to last all night. Be hours of them having what little time they had left to remember what the other was like. But that isn't happening anymore because they just gave everything they had to each other. There is nothing left for them to give. There's not one ounce of them left to give, to show, to hand over.

It's over, and there's nothing either of them can do about it.

After they clean up, Chris turns onto his side and lets Darren pull him close. And with the knowledge that the rising sun brings the end of this with him, he slides his hand into the one he has splayed over his stomach and holds it tight, falling asleep in his arms.

* * *

**a/n: Expect the epilogue in a few days.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Five Months Later**

Sitting on his couch in his living room, in an oversized sweater and sweats and wool socks to stay warm, his recent addition to his life, Brian, curled up in his lap, Chris flips through channels on his television, looking for something that isn't a Christmas themed movie. But seeing as it is a week and a half away from the Christmas holiday, he shouldn't be surprised. Finally settling on The Santa Clause, he runs his fingers through Brian's soft fur as he quietly purrs in his sleep.

Adopting Brian was something he did because he felt too alone after coming back from the beach house. Yeah, there were his friends to keep him company when he needed it. But Brian…Brian is a big, fat, fluffy ball of fur that makes just as happy as any one of his friends can. He loves the little…big guy ever since he got him several months ago.

The loud wrapping against his door as someone knocks has Brian lifting his and looking a bit pissed about being abruptly woken. Lifting him off his lap, setting him on the couch, Chris stands up. "Guess we should go see who is gracing us with their presence." Lowly laughing when Brian just curls up and goes back to sleep, he heads for his door.

Stopping at the door and looking through the peephole to see who it is, his heart stops and his breath comes up short. Just the sight of him standing there has him longing for hot days and the smell of sea-salt in the air and waves breaking and feet sinking into sand. The sight of Darren has him dropping his forehead to the door with a lite thud and composing himself, because he knows he risks doing something he shouldn't when he opens the door.

Standing in front of Chris' front door, bouncing on his feet to stay warm as the cold air blows around him, Darren breathes out, seeing his breath come out in a white puff of air. Around him the light of Christmas lights decorating houses glow bright in the dark night. Looking at the homes decorated, seeing some pretty amazing displays, he chuckles at Chris' only form of decoration being a Christmas reef hanging on his door.

Standing there and waiting for Chris to open the door, hoping he isn't showering or something and he heard him knock, he anticipates getting to see him. Hell, he might not get to be with him like he wants to, but that doesn't mean he can't appreciate the beauty that is the man he that changed everything about him.

In the months since the beach house, months that seemed a little too empty to him, Darren and he have managed to pretty much go back to how they were before they slept together. He was relieved when they could still joke and play around and hangout without the worry of it being weird. Yeah, there are times he wants to pull Darren close to him and relive those days that were close to perfect. There are times he wonders how things would be if they had agreed to go beyond the beach house and be together. Would it be a secret between them? Would they have told their friends? Would it be easier than it is now to go on pretending like those days didn't affect him like they did? Like they didn't leave a piece of his heart locked off for no one to touch.

It's only been five months. But those five months have felt like a lifetime. It seems as if it where forever ago he and Darren learned to be together in a way he had only hoped for before that week and a half. He wants those days back. He wants more of those days that made him feel alive; days that Darren made him feel like he was the only person he could want or ever need.

But he knows it's best if they don't venture beyond what they are right now, which is simply best friends.

"Hey, Darren," he excitedly says when he opens the door, always careful now to never use the nickname he called him at the house. Once it slipped out while they were watching a movie on his couch, and he's pretty sure he gave a good fight to stop himself from crashing his mouth to Darren's when he looked at him with dark, lust filled eyes. That experience had him making sure he never said it again, because he knows if it were to happen again he wouldn't hold back; he wouldn't stop from kissing Darren after he were to give him that look again. "What are you doing here?" He holds open his door in invitation, getting a cold blast of air when Darren walks past him.

Shutting the door, shoving his hands in the front pocket of the sweater he is wearing, he notices Darren shivering even with his few layers of clothes on. Grabbing at his coat, tugging Darren along, he heads to the kitchen. Deciding to make some hot chocolate, he grabs everything he will need, chuckling when he turns around and finds Darren holding Brian in his arms. "Hot chocolate okay? It's the instant stuff, but it will warm you up."

"That sounds great." Darren grins at him.

"Don't spoil him too much," Chris playfully warns him.

"I won't." Scratching behind Brian's ear, Darren hears him purring loudly.

Holding Brian while watching as Chris makes the hot beverage for them, gracefully moving around his kitchen, and still managing to look cute in a sweater and sweatpants, Darren still hates himself for not fighting harder to be with him.

To be so close to having something to only have it slip through his fingers makes him angry with himself. It was right there. Right there and he could have Chris like he wants him. He could have as more than the friend he is right now. If Chris was his right now, he would be the one holding close and not Brian.

Holding out the cup of hot chocolate for Darren after he finishes making it, slight tremble going through him when their fingers brush as Darren takes the cup from his hand. Chris walks back to the living room, hearing Darren following him. Sitting on the couch, taking a sip of his drink, watching Brian jump up on the couch and curl himself up in Darren's lap.

"Traitor," he tells Brian, seeing him look at him like he doesn't care what he calls him as long as he gets to be close to Darren. "You know you're the only one he willingly goes to. All other people, besides me, and he either runs away or growls at them."

"Guess he knows what he likes," Darren jokes as he scratches Brian's head.

Watching as Brian gently kneads Darren's belly with his paws, then rubbing his head there, laughing and shaking his head at how much his cat is in love with Darren, Chris knows he can't blame him. If he could, he would be like Brian right now and be all over Darren.

"So, are you gonna ever tell me why you stopped by?" he asks, pushing away thoughts of him shooing Brian away and crawling into Darren's lap.

"What? I can't stop by for no reason at all to see my best friend?" Darren lets out an easy laugh as he sees Chris playfully roll his eyes.

"So, did you stop by for no reason at all?" Chris quirks an eyebrow at him as he asks that.

"No," Darren responds, shaking his head. "I have a reason."

"Are you gonna tell me, or do I have to guess?"

"Snippy, snippy," Darren teases after hearing a small tone to Chris' voice. Taking a drink of the hot chocolate Chris gave him, the drink sweet on his tongue, and warming him up. In his lap, Brian is fast asleep as he occasionally flicks his tail back and forth.

He remembers a few months ago when Chris told him he had a new man in his life. At that moment, standing in front of Chris between shots of the show, he forced a smile and tried to be happy for him. Inside, he was pretty sure his heart stopped beating for a few seconds. And when Chris invited him over after work to meet him, he had to see the guy who was making Chris that excited just talking about him. He knew he was supposed to be happy for him, but he also knew he wanted to be that guy that put that look of extreme joy on his face.

So, to his surprise, and deep relief, when he saw the fattest cat he's personally seen walking to him, he couldn't fight the grin that spread across his face. Chris properly introduced him to Brian, his new roommate who had him wrapped around his finger. Seeing Chris lifting up and holding Brian in his arms, a smile of happiness on his face, he wanted so badly to kiss that mouth that he missed.

"Well, I wouldn't be snippy if you told me," Chris tells him trying to look annoyed, but sounding amused.

"Okay, okay," he says with a smile as he reaches in his coat pocket for the wrapped box that is for Chris. He holds it out to him. "Merry Christmas! I wanted to give it to you now before I leave tomorrow."

Remembering Darren is going to be gone for the next two weeks makes a wave of sadness wash over Chris. It's only two weeks, and they've gone longer without seeing each other. But this is the first time since the beach house that they'll go this long without seeing each other. And Chris isn't sure he is ready for that.

When they came back, those five months ago, he took comfort in knowing that he would be seeing Darren pretty much every day between work and still hanging out. There were a few times they went two or three days without seeing each other, but he knew that he would be seeing him again soon. But, now, two weeks is too long for him. He can't do anything about Darren leaving; he can't make him stay, he can't go with him. All he can do is hope the time goes by fast.

"Thanks," he says as he takes the box from Darren. It's then he remembers the present that sits unwrapped in his bedroom. "Do you want yours? It isn't wrapped because I didn't think we were gonna do this today. I thought we were gonna do it at the party."

"No," Darren says as he shakes his head. "I'll wait until I come back. Gives you time to wrap it. Plus, I wanted to give this to you without people around."

With his interest piqued, Chris starts to tear the paper away. Dropping it to the floor when completely off, he holds a white jewelry box. Lifting the lid, he goes right back to that day on the beach with Darren as they walked along the water upon seeing what's inside the box. Remembering how excited Darren was to find sea glass, dropping a few wet pieces into his hand, the beauty of them obvious to him at the time. He recalls Darren dropping them all back in the water except for one; one he remembers playing with as they walked back. Afterwards, he never gave it a thought again, until now.

Seeing Chris get a faraway look in his eyes after seeing the bracelet, knowing he's back on the beach the day he found it, Darren smiles as he remembers that day.

It seems just like yesterday he was taking Chris' hand and running in the rain back to the house. The memories of what happened after they got back to the house quickly flood his mind, making him dizzy with want. Those memories quickly have desire coursing through him, seemingly setting his blood on fire and making it difficult for him not to pull Chris into his lap.

Gazing into Chris' eyes when he looks up at him, seeing them dark with desire, he does nothing but continue to sit there, wishing things were different.

"It's the sea glass," Chris says with a beaming smile, grabbing the bracelet and placing the box on the table.

"Yeah." Darren nods his head. "I kept that one and had that made for you."

Staring at the bracelet, leather bands tied to the piece of aqua sea glass with a metal design of waves laid on top, Chris knows this was meant as more than just a gift. It was meant to remember a time that was their own.

"I love it," he tells Darren. Unclasping the hook, knowing he can't do it on his own, he holds it out for Darren, seeing him understand.

Taking the bracelet from Chris, watching as he holds his arm out with his wrist up, creamy, pale skin tempting him, Darren fights that and brings the two ends of the bracelet together over the skin. Clasping the hook, he lets go, and without thought, he gently rubs his thumb over the soft skin of Chris' wrist. Hearing the small gasp, and looking up, seeing Chris' lips slightly parted and eyes wide, he lets go of Chris' wrist.

Staring at lips that would be so familiar, a mouth that would drive him crazy like before, eyes that make him think of the ocean, and a body he misses, Darren stays there rooted to the spot.

It was a simple touch. But it was enough to have his pulse racing and an ocean of want rise up in him. Staring at Darren as his heart pounds in his chest, contemplating if he should lean over and kiss him, he can feel the air between them thick with desire. In an instant it went from friendly and nice to wanting each other like never before.

Seeing Brian sit up and jump on the back of the couch suddenly breaks the spell they were in. Watching Darren quickly stand up and mumble something about needing to get home and do some last minute packing, he stands up, as well, tries not to be too upset. They agreed to this. They know it's the best thing for them. Friends suddenly becoming more would have been too much for people to handle, especially when he does it with someone like Darren.

Walking to the front door and turning around, finding Chris looking at him like he has something to say, he clears his throat to have something to do. "I guess I'll see you in two weeks," he says.

"Yeah, two weeks," Chris repeats, barely nodding his head. "Bye."

"Bye, Chris," he softly says.

Closing the door after Darren walks away, Chris slides down the door and wonders what the hell they're supposed to do. Constantly wanting each other is only going to lead to them doing something they probably shouldn't.

Petting Brian when he walks over to him and sits on his legs, he notices him look to the door a few times. "Yeah, yeah, buddy," he says. "I want him back too."

**Five More Months After That**

"That's a wrap!"

The voice of the director is loud as he yells, announcing the ending of shooting, and the season. Around him people cheer and applause, joining in on the excitement, Darren looks around and catches Chris' gaze, thinking about what he wants to ask him, and hoping he agrees. Hugging all his castmates and friends, shaking the crew's hands and thanking them for a great season, he finally walks up to Chris. "Hey," he mumbles as he stands in front of him, smiling at how he looks so different in his Kurt clothes.

"Seasons over," Chris says, minutely shrugging his shoulders and forcing a small smile. "Can't believe it went so fast."

"Me either." Staring at Chris, and paying attention to nothing else around him, he gently pulls him into a warm embrace. Arms immediately wrap around his neck, a soft sigh is released into his ear, and Chris presses as close as he can without being too obvious to people who might see them. Holding Chris' long, lean body to him tightly, not caring how long they stay like that, listening to his even breathing, and feeling his heart beat wildly against his chest, Darren is pretty sure he almost loses it when he breathes in the scent of vanilla on Chris' skin.

Holding him close, closer than he probably should, but not close enough for him, Chris flutters his eyes closed and skims his nose along Darren's neck, breathing in the smell of him. A deep desire curls in his belly to take Darren away to a private place and let them lose themselves like they both so desperately want to; like they did those days at the beach. Abruptly pulling away when Lea starts to loudly laugh, Chris looks to Darren with a bit of a blush staining his cheeks.

"Sorry," he whispers, looking around to make sure no one is giving them weird looks.

"Don't be," Darren is quick to tell him. "I enjoyed holding you close again."

At those words, Chris feels his heart jump. Losing his fight to stop from smiling big, knowing he might look like a fool at the moment, and not caring, he playfully nudges Darren's shoulder. "What are you gonna do with your time off?" he asks to change the subject.

"I actually wanted to talk to you about that," Darren responds; Chris sees a glint of something in his eyes. "Can we talk back at your trailer? You know, after we change."

"Sure." Chris wonders what he could want to talk about.

"I'll see you in a few, then," he tells Chris.

Seeing Chris nod his head and then turn and walk away, looking back to him once with a tinge of red to his cheeks, Darren feels as his heart races in his chest and nerves completely take over him.

Stepping out of the small shower in his trailer, drying off and walking to where his clothes are, he grabs them after slipping on the bracelet Darren gave him for Christmas. Pulling his shirt on, material soft against his skin, and pulling up his jeans, letting them hang unbuttoned and loose off his hips, he steps into his boots. Chris smiles when a knock on his trailer door comes a few seconds later. Reaching down and buttoning his jeans, he walks to his door. Making sure he looks good, seeing his reflection in a nearby mirror, smoothing out his shirt, he takes a deep breath and calms his already racing heart.

"Hi," he says with a hint of enthusiasm when he opens his door.

"Hey." Darren beams up at him.

Stepping aside when Darren walks into his trailer, closing the door with a soft click, Chris shoves his hands into his pockets so he doesn't reach out to grab for him like he desperately wants to. Just thoughts of having his hard, lean body pressed up close to his is making heat start to bloom in his belly. "So," he mumbles. "What did you want to talk about?"

Seeing him standing there, looking gorgeous in simple jeans and a shirt, yearning to pull him close and push the buttons of his shirt through their holes and slip the shirt off his shoulders has Darren taking a deep breath and trying to stop his mind from running rampant with thoughts that only make it more difficult to only stand there. He's here for a reason, he reminds himself. He's here so this can be easier for them for a short time. He won't let anything stop him from doing what he came here to do.

"I'm not doing too much this summer," he starts off. "Which is great; and what I need."

"I know," Chris replies, smiling at him. "I see how much you work."

"It occupies my mind." _'From thoughts of you,'_ he thinks it but doesn't say it out loud.

"Is that what you came to tell me?" Chris asks, sounding a tad disappointed.

"Yes and no," he tells him, seeing the confusion evident in Chris' eyes after telling him that. "I...Um...I re-..." Looking into Chris' eyes that make him think of the depths of the ocean, he finds his voice and speaks. "Do you want to go back with me?"

The moment Darren utters those words to him Chris feels his heart stop. It's what he wants to hear; what he needed to hear.

Watching as Darren takes the few steps to him, closing the space between them, keeping his eyes locked on ones that shine bright, breath coming up short with the desire swimming in Darren's eyes, he places his hands on Darren's hip when he stops right in front of him. The smell of the lemons on his skin assaults his nose in a fantastic way.

Turning into Darren's hand when he cups the side of his face, gently stroking his thumb over his cheek, he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. Opening them again, darting them to Darren's full lips he knows would be soft against his, he doesn't stop him when he notices him slowly start to lean into him.

He's here. He's here, right now, in his trailer. They're not at a house with the sound of waves crashing to shore outside. The air doesn't carry the smell of the ocean. There's no sand his feet are sinking into. This is something that shouldn't be happening. Reminding himself that they are inside his trailer on a lot where they work, and not a beach house that just thinking about makes his pulse race, Chris grips Darren's hips as he stares into his eyes. Seeing them filled with a hunger that is greater than anything he saw at the beach, he knows he can't fight the urge that is telling him to have Darren closer.

Gasping when Darren presses a featherlite kiss to the corner of his mouth, moving to cover his mouth in a tender kiss, tongue flicking out and tentatively licking his top lip, he feels as his resolve shatters like a glass vase hitting a floor.

It's so familiar. The feel of smooth, soft, full lips moving beneath his is so familiar but so new at the same time. It's been so long since their last kiss that it feels as if he's doing this again for the first time. But he doesn't care, because he gets to relearn. He relearns how Chris parts his lips in invitation; inviting him to softly delve his tongue into his hot, silky mouth, which he does. Pulling Chris' slightly trembling body close to his, he eagerly pushes his tongue past Chris' lips and licks into his mouth.

This is something he's craved for almost a year. This is something he so desperately wanted to do that December day on Chris' couch as the tension and desire between them was overflowing. This is like indulging in his favorite dessert. It's perfect and sweet and delicious, but with a hint of underlying spice that adds the right amount of heat.

Grabbing a Chris' hips roughly, and backing up, he lifts him up on to the counter when he hears Chris hit it with a small oomph. Feeling legs wrap around his waist, and arms drape over his shoulders, he's back to that day at the house when he had Chris just like this. The only difference now is he can't undress Chris like he wants to.

The kiss is everything. It's an invitation for more if he goes, which he knows he will; there's no fighting that. It's a kiss to make up for the ten months of wanting to do this, but refusing themselves. But, mainly, it's a kiss to show that they still have each other in the way they want.

Parting his thighs more, feeling Darren pull his hips forward some and press close to his groin, he lets out a throaty moan when he feels just how hard both of them are. Tipping his head back, and running his fingers through Darren's soft curls, closing his eyes and focusing on only this, he bites his lip from crying out when Darren gently rolls his hips forward. That first thrust has a pleasure so great coursing through his veins that he can't believe he forgot how amazing it was with Darren. Letting small whimpers fall from his lips, feeling Darren kiss and mouth at his neck as he grabs at his ass with one of his hands, Chris clutches at his shoulder as he starts to pick up the force of his thrusts.

Fuck, he thinks, it's been too fucking long. Chris feels so perfect pressed close to him. It didn't take long for his body to respond to have the one thing he wants most close to his.

The desire to pick Chris up and carry him to the nearest soft surface is big. He wants to undress him and kiss every inch of creamy, pale skin that he's missed; wants to have Chris under him making noises that would drive him wild like they did last year. But doing all that would require for them to stop what they are doing and move. And he doesn't want to stop.

Rocking his hips forward, feeling the heel of Chris' boot dig into his lower back, seeing him tip his head back and moan, fingers digging into shoulders, Darren kisses at his neck.

Pleasure starts to sizzle under his skin, heat pools in his stomach, and in that moment he doesn't care about coming in his pants. As long as he has Chris close to him, letting out little whimpers and moans, nothing else matters.

Knowing he should stop this, he reaches down and stops the movement of Darren's hips even though he wants to do anything but that. "We...we can't," he breathlessly pants out. "Nothing outside the beach house. Remember?"

Feeling Darren drop his head to his shoulder, letting out a loud huff, and nodding his head, he knows he wants to continue just as much as him. "Yeah," he sighs. "I remember." Staring into Darren's lust blown eyes when he lifts his head, seeing so much want in them as he looks at him, Chris gently runs his fingers through his curls. "Does this mean you'll come with me tomorrow?"

Smiling, and leaning close to Darren, barely brushing their lips together, eyes locked on his, he nods his head yes. Moaning when Darren kisses hard and long, he knows being at the beach house tomorrow can't come fast enough.

Seeing Chris nod his head. Knowing he's getting two more weeks have Darren wants to scream to the world in excitement; wants to tell everyone he's getting more time with the man who made him realize so many things about himself. But knowing he can't do that, he pulls Chris in for one last kiss before he can do it again tomorrow.

Just knowing he gets Chris to himself for two weeks already has him itching for white sand and cold beers and waves crashing to shore and the smell of the ocean in the air. He itches to be back to the place where it all started for them.

"I should go," he murmurs after resting his forehead to Chris', staring into his eyes.

"Okay," Chris says with a smile.

"I'll see you tomorrow, then?"

"Yes," Chris tells him with a giddy voice, excitement filling his eyes. "Tomorrow."

"Until then." Giving him a quick peck on the lips, Darren helps him off the counter. Walking out of the trailer, hearing the door click shut, he feels as if he's floating on air and nothing can ruin his great mood. Even if someone did, he wouldn't care. As long as he knows Chris is coming with him tomorrow, he's happy.

Dropping his forehead to the door after it closes, calming his breathing and racing heart, Chris grins and giggles.

It was unexpected, but totally welcomed. Touching his fingers to his slightly swollen lips, he smiles at just having Darren's mouth on his. The way he felt pressed close to him drove him crazy. How he smelled of vanilla that made it hard to not undress him right there. How he had pleasure coursing through his veins as he slowly rocked his body into his. It all was amazing and fantastic; and he hated having to stop it all. But he knows, come tomorrow, he won't have to.

Straightening up, he realizes he needs to go home and pack.

* * *

Stopping and shutting off the car once he reaches the house he hasn't seen in almost a year, gripping the steering wheel out of nerves and excitement, he knows this is the right choice. Though others would think it stupid to step back into something that shouldn't be happening, something that will only make his feelings grow, he can't help but to feel how right this is.

Even though he promised himself last year when they left that that was it, he finds himself here now. He finds himself wondering if he knew he would always come back if presented with the choice.

Climbing out of the car and heading to the front door, stepping inside when he finds the door unlocked, he stops and stands there for a few moments. Taking in the familiar sight of the house, remembering those ten days last year, he can see it's the exact same when he left.

Looking out the glass wall at the back of the house, Chris smiles at seeing a familiar figure sitting in the sand on the beach.

Walking to the sliding door and stepping out onto the deck, going down the few steps, he kicks off his shoes. The sand is hot under his feet as he walks, the crash of waves is loud in his ears, the smell of sea-salt strong as he breathes in a lungful of air, and the sun shines down and warms his skin. And just like that, he's back to those summer days almost a year ago. Those summer days he gets to experience again by being here.

Stopping and sitting down behind Darren, wrapping his arms around his waist and kissing his neck, he breathes in the smell lingering on his skin that makes his mouth water at wanting Darren naked and kissing all over his body tasting every inch of him.

Familiar arms wrapping around him have a huge smile spreading across his face. Covering Chris' arms with his, a jolt of want racing through his veins when lips press to the side of his neck, Darren couldn't care about anything else. Chris is finally here. For the next two weeks it's all about being with him.

"This place is still beautiful," Chris whispers into his.

"Yeah, it is."

Tipping his head to the side when Chris buries his nose in the side of his neck, hearing him breathe in the scent on his skin, he feels a shiver run through him. He knows they can do this, show affection out here on the beach, right now because only one other house is currently occupied, and that's way down the beach. It feels amazing to be out in the open and know no one will see them and question what is going on.

"I'm beyond ecstatic at being here with you again," he admits as he turns around and faces Chris. Staring into his striking blue eyes, and then at his tempting red lips, the urge to take his mouth in a heated kiss right there for anyone on the beach to see is great.

"I concur that statement," Chris says as he chuckles, covering one of Darren's hands in the sand, interlacing their fingers.

"So," Darren says as he looks at him with a genuinely happy smile on his face. "What would you like to do while here?"

To say they rush back to the house is an understatement. Once inside, they waste no time in shedding their clothes. They leave a trail of discarded shirts and shorts and shoes and underwear as they make their way to the bedroom.

Once in bed it doesn't take Chris long to have what he wants; what he's desired and longed after for ten months. And what he wants is Darren; and he gets that.

The feeling of stretching and being filled by Darren is like being reintroduced to something that is fuzzy on his memory but quickly getting clearer by the second. Clutching Darren's back, lifting his legs high on either side of him, both of them still and simply staring at each other, he smiles up at him.

"Hey, stranger," he whispers, using the nickname from the year before.

"Hey, cowboy," Darren replies.

When he leans down to kiss him, causing his hips to shift, and having him move inside, Chris moans into Darren's mouth. And just like that, everything else is abandoned in favor of fully rediscovering each other.

Lying in bed a several hours later, skimming his fingers along the arm Chris has thrown across his chest, listening to him softly breathing as he sleeps, Darren can't hold back the smile on his face.

It was easy to step back into what they started ten months before. It was like coming back to a paused movie that never left their minds after being gone for a long period of time. It's still just as exciting and thrilling as when they left.

Feeling as his fingers brush the glass of the bracelet he gave Chris for Christmas, he lifts his arm and looks at the piece of jewelry. Ever since he put it on Chris' wrists those months ago, he's only ever seen it off when they film. All other times, when they were together, he would see the black leather wrapped around pale skin, and the aqua sea glass resting on his wrist. It never leaves Chris' wrist when it doesn't need to, and that makes his heart soar. Gently stroking his thumb over the skin right below the bracelet, he brings his hand down and presses a kiss to Chris' wrist.

To be here back at where it all started, where he's wanted to be for months, is exhilarating and liberating and...perfect.

"I missed you," Chris suddenly whispers into his ear.

Looking at Chris, seeing his stunning eyes filled a warmth and happiness that hasn't fully been there since they were here last, Darren strokes his thumb along his cheek and knows what he's actually referring to. He's missed this; missed the closeness and touching and being able to act on wants and desires. "I missed you, too," he softly says.

Leaning over and gently kissing Chris, he doesn't think about what this means, or what happens when they leave again, because for right now, for these next fourteen days, they're happy.

* * *

**a/n: Thanks to everyone that has read and left a comment, it makes me smile knowing people enjoyed this story. I hope you all enjoyed reading this as much as I had writing it.**

**Also, to see what the bracelet Darren gave Chris, I linked to it on the chapter at It-Could-Happen. Just go over there to see it.**


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